Cody Bellinger, Chicago Cubs. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
We’re 1/4 through the MLB regular season, and these three stars have bounced back after disappointing 2022 seasons.
In the first six weeks of the MLB regular season, there have been plenty of surprising developments.
The St. Louis Cardinals struggling and spending the early weeks in last place in the National League Central. The Pittsburgh Pirates being one of the best teams in baseball through the first month led by young star Mitch Keller. The Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays being among the best teams in the American League.
But there have also been the re-emergence of stars throughout baseball. Here are three stars that have bounced back in 2023, starting with Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger.
Cody Bellinger, Chicago Cubs
When the Los Angeles Dodgers non-tendered Cody Bellinger, people around the talented outfielder were optimistic that a change of scenery would be what he’d need to get back to his MVP-caliber play.
Bellinger has done just that.
In 37 games, the 27-year-old Bellinger is hitting .271/.337/.493 with seven home runs and 20 RBI. They are his best numbers since the 2019 season, as he’s hit between .165 and .239 in each of the last three seasons as he’s dealt with an assortment of injuries.
If Bellinger continues this level of play, he will be in strong position to cash in as a free agent in the offseason. It’s precisely what he and his agent, Scott Boras, envisioned when they signed a one-year deal in the offseason — and through the first 1/4 of the season, it has gone about as well as they and the Cubs could have hoped.