‘Fallen MVP’ has a surprise performance that no one saw coming…”He shows no signs of slowing down”
“He’s played above his level in the past.”
Cody Bellinger has had a complete resurgence for the Chicago Cubs this year. Not quite to the level of his past MVP wins, but enough to redeem himself. MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, published a list of “eight players who are playing much better than their offseason ratings,” and Bellinger was one of them.
“Players continue to surprise us with their performances throughout the season,” MLB.com said. Now, with the end of the season just over a month away, we can see which players have exceeded expectations. Here are eight players who have significantly outperformed their preseason projections for 2023, as measured by Wins Above Replacement (WAR) per Fangraphs. “Bellinger was projected to have a 2.5 WAR and a 0.714 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) entering the season, but this year he has a 3.8 WAR and a 0.916 OPS.”
“Of course, Bellinger has performed at this level in the past. In 2019, when he won the National League MVP, he posted a wRC+ of 161 and a WRA of 7.8. Since then, Bellinger hasn’t had the same success, but he has continued to bounce back. He shows no signs of slowing down,” he said of Bellinger.
MLB.com concluded, “Bellinger has been able to take a leap forward with improved contact. He’s struggled with changeups the past few years, but this year he’s seeing pitches that aren’t fastballs better than ever,” explaining the difference.
Bellinger was drafted by the Dodgers in the fourth round, 124th overall, in the 2013 draft. He spent a long time in the minors before breaking into the big leagues in 2017. In his rookie season, he got off to a hot start, hitting .267 with 39 home runs, a .581 OBP, and a .933 OPS in 132 games, and went on to hit double-digit home runs in five straight seasons.
Bellinger’s performance peaked in 2019. In 156 games, he batted .305 (558-for-170) with 47 home runs, a .629 OPS and a 1.035 slugging percentage. He won the National League MVP. However, he struggled to maintain his form. Injuries and poor play led to a steep decline.바카라사이트
Eventually, Bellinger was designated for assignment after the 2022 season. He was labeled the “fallen MVP. Bellinger eventually signed a one-year, $17.5 million deal with the Cubs. Since then, he’s turned things around for the Cubs. In 97 games, he’s batting .316 (116-for-367) with 20 home runs, a .542 on-base percentage, and a .906 OPS.
Joining Bellinger on the list of players who have “performed much better than expected” are Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott, Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Wiet, Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich, Washington Nationals outfielder Lane Thomas, San Diego Padres pitcher Blake Snell, Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kyle Bradish, and Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Yusei Kikuchi.
