The Los Angeles Dodgers announced the signings of Cody Bellinger, Dylan Floro, Corey Seager and Julio Urias to one-year contracts for the 2021 season. Each of the four was eligible for salary arbitration.
So too was Scott Alexander, but he signed a one-year deal at the deadline to tender contracts last month. Corey Knebel is also said to have agreed to a contract for this season, though the team has not yet made that official.
The team is facing arbitration hearings with Austin Barnes and Walker Buehler. However, those could still be avoided if they are able to come to terms.
For Bellinger, his reported salary this season reportedly is set to be $16.1 million. He broke a record last winter as a first-year arbitration-eligible player, surpassing the mark set by the Chicago Cubs’ Kris Bryant.
Bellinger failed to meet expectations from his MVP season, but he took solace in improving down the stretch. He also showed strong plate discipline during the postseason, and all the while played stellar defense in center field.
Bellinger underwent surgery to repair his right shoulder that was dislocated during the National League Championship Series and is expected to make a full recovery by Spring Training.
Floro developed an effective changeup that proved key in being able to face right- and left-handed batters. He appeared in 25 games, going 3-0 with a 2.59 ERA, 2.66 FIP and 1.11 WHIP with 19 strikeouts and four walks in 24.1 innings.
Other than some minor back trouble, Seager enjoyed a relatively healthy season. He appeared in 52 games, hitting .307/.358/.585 with 15 home runs and 41 RBI. Seager rode that momentum into the postseason, breaking multiple records en route to being named MVP of the NLCS and World Series.
Urias earned a permanent spot in the starting rotation for the first time in his career, but wound up making the most impact out of the bullpen. Urias 3-0 with a 3.27 ERA, 3.72 FIP and 1.15 WHIP in 11 appearances (10 starts).
Then in six postseason games (two starts), he went 4-0 with one save and a 1.13 ERA. Urias tossed three perfect innings to close out the Atlanta Braves in Game 7 of the NLCS, and 2.1 perfect innings to help the Dodgers win Game 6 of the World Series.
Dodgers have precedent for potential arbitration hearings with Barnes, Buehler
Last offseason the Dodgers failed to come to terms with Pedro Baez, Max Muncy, Joc Pederson and Chris Taylor prior to the deadline. They wound up settling with Baez, had a hearing with Pederson, and agreed to multi-year contracts with both Muncy and Taylor.
That could be the path required with Barnes and Buehler, as both players reportedly are seeking such a contract and otherwise will head to an arbitration hearing rather than agreeing to a one-year deal.
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