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Dodgers Rumors: Some Within Organization View Cody Bellinger As Best Center Fielder

Matthew Moreno
3 Min Read
Mark Brown-Getty Images

Heading into the 2017 season, Andre Ethier, Kiké Hernandez, Joc Pederson, Yasiel Puig and Andrew Toles figured to comprise the group of Los Angeles Dodgers outfielders. Chris Taylor, who played some center field during Spring Training, was thought to be on the periphery.

That changed when Ethier became saddled by back trouble that abruptly ended his spring and has since kept the veteran on the disabled list, and Toles suffered a torn ACL that required season-ending surgery in May. It created an opportunity for Cody Bellinger, who then became entrenched at first base in the wake of Adrian Gonzalez’s prolonged absence.

In turn, Taylor cemented himself in left field but has since slid over to center in the wake of the Dodgers acquiring Curtis Granderson and sending Pederson to Triple-A Oklahoma City so he can continue working on his swing.

Although Hernandez and Taylor have spent the most time in center field outside of Pederson, some within the Dodgers organization view Bellinger as the best option, according to Peter Gammons:

Bellinger first played the outfield — center field — with High-A Rancho Cucamonga in 2015, which was his second year as a professional. He played 13 games in left field for Double-A Tulsa last season, 13 in center and nine in right.

The 22-year-old saw minimal time in the outfield with Oklahoma City prior to making his MLB debut on April 25. The Dodgers thus far have not shown any indications of putting their rookie in center field.

It may even be unlikely, as Alex Verdugo is expected to be among the early call-ups this month. Though, considering Granderson’s arrival and Taylor’s emergence, playing Bellinger in center may be a strategy worth pursuing, particularly for the playoffs.

Doing so would allow the Dodgers to field a lineup that includes Bellinger, Granderson and Taylor (second base) when facing a right-handed starter.

Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Managing Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com