While there figured to be a transition from Adrian Gonzalez to Cody Bellinger, the pace at which it occurred was much more accelerated than anyone would’ve guessed. Dogged by injury trouble since reporting to Spring Training, Gonzalez never managed to get healthy.
It resulted in his first career stint on the disabled list, which afforded Bellinger an opportunity to remain with the Dodgers and slide in from left field to first base. Upon returning from the DL, Gonzalez appeared in 20 games before he was sidelined a second time.
Gonzalez filled a reduced role off the bench after he returned from the more prolonged stay on the disabled list, then had his season officially come to an end before the Dodgers played their final series in Colorado.
Gonzalez did not travel with the team for the weekend set, nor did he join the Dodgers in Arizona or Chicago during the playoffs. There was an approved trip to Italy with his family, from which Gonzalez recently returned.
He joined his teammates at Dodger Stadium for Game 2 of the World Series, and now will head with the club to Houston, per Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
After Game 2, Gonzalez said he would travel with the team to Houston for Game 3.
“It’s not a story,” he said, declining further comment.
Much was made publicly over Gonzalez leaving the Dodgers during the playoffs, but his teammates and manager Dave Roberts have all deemed it a non-issue. Roberts previously said Gonzalez was using the time away to begin preparing for a healthy 2018 campaign.
The veteran first baseman is entering the final year of his contract, and whether that will be played with the Dodgers is in some doubt. Gonzalez expressed a desire and expectation to be an everyday player next season, which doesn’t appear feasible in Los Angeles, given Bellinger’s emergence.
