Report: Houston Astros Showing Interest in Cody Bellinger

According to a new report, the Houston Astros are interested in 2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger.

Author:
Ben Silver
Publish date:
Nov 25, 2022 1:09 PM EST

In this story:

Houston Astros

Positional versatility was key to the Houston Astros success in 2022.

Aledmys Díaz was a huge part of the puzzle at Minute Maid Park, not just because because he could play multiple positions, but because he could do so as an average hitter.

The more unique a defender is, the more valuable a hitter he becomes. Shortstops, center fielders and catchers are more frequently given passes for their lackluster offense, but a premium defensive player who can even be a mediocre offensive player at the Major League level is far more valuable.

Thus, Cody Bellinger comes into the fold.

According to a new report by Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Astros are one of 11 teams showing interest in the 2019 NL MVP.

Though Bellinger has been a downright terrible hitter since 2021, his defense makes him a candidate to start every night, while the prospect of a bounceback further highlights his value.

Bellinger is a Gold Glove-caliber fielder at all three outfield positions and first base, areas in which the Astros are uniformly lacking.

Heyman believes Bellinger is looking for no more than a one-year deal to "reset his value", and with so much competition for such a short timespan, his AAV could rise to astronomical heights. For a player with an OPS of .611 over his last 900 plate appearances, Bellinger might command a monster deal.

Look for the Astros to spend near $16 million to command his services in 2023.