Dodgers-Cody Bellinger buzz won't go away, but is that Scott Boras?

The calendar is about to flip to 2026, and with Scott Boras still holding all the keys to the offseason, his normal tactics will take center stage in the weeks ahead. Tatsuya Imai, Alex Bregman, and Cody Bellinger are among the free agents represented by Boras, and it would seem that the Los Angeles Dodgers might be used as a ploy against the New York Yankees.

Bellinger's free agency is playing out very similarly to the last time he was on the market. The former Dodgers' MVP was fresh off winning the 2023 National League Comeback Player of the Year with the Chicago Cubs, and while Boras was hoping for a lucrative long-term deal, he was forced to settle for a three-year deal that included opt-outs after the first two years.

Traded to the New York Yankees last offseason, and hitting 29 home runs with a swing designed for Yankee Stadium, Bellinger opted out of the final year of his contract, believing that this would be the offseason he landed the long-term deal that alluded him last time.

The expectation throughout the offseason was that the Yankees would prioritize Bellinger's return, but New York appears to be going through the motions of the offseason. It stands to reason that New York will have a big move up their sleeve at some point this offseason, but they don't appear motivated to meet Boras' current price for Bellinger.

Dodgers remained linked to Cody Bellinger, but it feels like a pure Scott Boras negotiating tactic.

During one of his latest livestreams for Bleacher Report, Jon Heyman reported that the Dodgers are among the teams interested in Bellinger. The MLB insider was quick to clarify that the Dodgers' interest in Bellinger may not be as strong as teams like the New York Yankees, New York Mets, or San Francisco Giants.

In other words, as Boras waits for one of those three teams to blink, it seems like he is floating the idea of a Dodgers' reunion as a way to scare them. Along those lines, it wouldn't be a complete shock to see the Dodgers-Bellinger chatter continue to simmer down. After gutting their roster of Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil this offseason, there's been speculation that the Mets could ramp up their efforts to sign Bellinger.

If Boras' main goal is to get Bellinger the best offer from the Yankees, the Mets being involved might be the best way to do so, and he can discard his Los Angeles reunion idea. Sure, on some level, a Bellinger return to Los Angeles does make sense, but it shouldn't be at the forefront of moves Andrew Friedman and Co. are considering.