Cody Bellinger, a 27-year-old outfielder who was an MVP as recently as 2019, was non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, a somewhat expected move that nonetheless encapsulates his precipitous downfall offensively.

Bellinger was due to make something in the neighborhood of $18 million in 2023, which would have been his final season before free agency. Instead, he'll venture into the free agent market a year early, though the Dodgers and Bellinger's agent, Scott Boras, can renegotiate a different contract, perhaps one that covers multiple years at a lower rate.