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Report: Dodgers, Bellinger avoid arbitration with 1-year, $16.1M deal

Kelly Gavin / Major League Baseball / Getty

The Los Angeles Dodgers and two-time All-Star outfielder Cody Bellinger avoided arbitration with a one-year, $16.1-million contract, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

The settlement comes roughly one year after Bellinger set an MLB salary record for a player in his first season of arbitration eligibility, landing an $11.5-million deal as the reigning NL MVP.

The 25-year-old is coming off a down year, hitting .239/.333/.455 with 12 homers and six stolen bases over 56 games in the pandemic-shortened campaign. The superstar slugger went 14-for-66 with four homers and 10 walks in the postseason.

Bellinger was eligible for arbitration one year earlier than usual after qualifying for Super Two status following the 2019 season. The former Gold Glove winner and Silver Slugger has two years of arbitration remaining after 2021 as a result, meaning he will not be eligible for free agency until after the 2023 campaign.

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