Cody Bellinger Made Big Offseason Fitness Changes in Effort to Rejuvenate Performance

As clichéd as it is to talk about a player benefitting from a change of scenery, like putting on a new uniform alone will magically reshape their career, it’s impossible to deny the legit benefits. Maybe their new roster puts them in a different role, or perhaps there’s a mental recalibration that allows them to let go of baggage that had been holding them down. More than anything, I’d guess getting out of their comfort zone might force them to address some old habits that had become subconsciously ingrained over time.

All of those things may be true for Cody Bellinger, who has put up very disappointing numbers while fighting through both injuries and expectations for the past couple of years. He’s now healthy and far enough removed from his MVP campaign that he’s reached the point where simply being close to a league-average run producer would be perfectly acceptable.

Being at full strength isn’t just a matter of letting his body heal, it’s about Bellinger taking charge of his fitness by hiring a personal trainer for the first time. As WGN’s Josh Frydman tweeted Saturday, the outfielder also tried Lagree advanced Pilates.

Created by Sebastien Lagree over 25 years ago, the Lagree Method combines Pilates, cardio, and strength training in a low-impact workout designed to sculpt the body while burning fat. It is designed to help with body alignment and range of motion while incorporating resistance training at an uptempo pace to push the intensity and keep things fresh.

Bellinger arrived in Mesa the day after he signed with the Cubs and has really been getting after it for a while now as he looks to erase the memory of the last two seasons. He’s also looking to the future and a long-term payday, which he can easily earn with a big year on the North Side. It’s possible we’ll see the same Bellinger who struggled at the end of his Dodgers tenure, but I continue to feel really good about his outlook this season.

His defense and baserunning alone make him an upgrade over a center field collective that ranked at the bottom of the majors last season, so the bat coming around would be gravy. And I really believe Bellinger will hit much better this season. Maybe not MVP-type stuff, but good enough to bat somewhere in the top six with good power.

Back to top button