Possible Dodgers reunion with Cody Bellinger gaining steam after Jeff Passan weighs in

The Los Angeles Dodgers might be in for a boring offseason. The club doesn't have a ton of needs, and those it does have, Brandon Gomes described as being something they would explore rather than pursue aggressively.

Of course, that could all be a smokescreen. Aside from the bullpen, the outfield is the biggest area of concern for Los Angeles as the winter gets underway. There aren't a ton of high-end options on the free-agent market, but the ones that do exist are expected to draw heavy interest. The Dodgers' mere interest in a player is enough to drive his price tag up to astronomical levels, so that could be the reason for Gomes' caginess.

However, despite their best efforts to keep any interest under wraps, the Dodgers have been linked to one of the top outfield options (and a familiar face, at that) with Cody Bellinger being floated as a player of interest. A vague connection is one thing, but when interest is reported by a powerhouse like ESPN's Jeff Passan, one would be wise to take notice.

ESPN's Jeff Passan linking the Dodgers to Cody Bellinger should have you taking notice

In his latest hot stove info dump, Passan wrote the following about Bellinger, his market, and the Dodgers' place in it.

"Beyond the Yankees, who would like a return engagement with Bellinger -- though Trent Grisham accepting the qualifying offer would make for a crowded outfield with a Bellinger reunion -- the Blue Jays see him as a perfectly good alternative to Tucker. And the Dodgers, who non-tendered Bellinger three years ago, have expressed interest as they peruse the outfield market."

Key words there are "expressed interest." This isn't some tenuous link. Passan is one of the most well-connected in the sport and is generally a cut above the rest of the crowded group of MLB insiders. "Expressing interest," therefore, would lead one to believe that he heard this from someone inside the Dodgers' inner circle.

The elephant in the room, of course, is that LA non-tendered Bellinger three years ago. He's a much different player now than he was at that moment when injuries sapped most of his powers. On the flip side, as good as his 2025 was with the Yankees, as well as his 2023 rebound with the Chicago Cubs, Bellinger's early years with the Dodgers were the best of his career and saw him add the NL Rookie of the Year and MVP awards to his trophy case in 2017 and 2019, respectively.

Passan mentions the Yankees (though Trent Grisham did accept that qualifying offer, after all) and the Toronto Blue Jays as interested parties. Other sources have linked the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and others to the former Dodgers star.

Ultimately, this will come down to how much of this is an "exploration," as Brandon Gomes put it, or if the Dodgers are truly interested in getting into (and winning) a bidding war for Bellinger's services. For now, what is clear is that the interest is real, and it could certainly heat up.