Talented as Cody Bellinger is, he faced a near-impossible task of living up to the standard he set last season. Bellinger not only exceeded expectations, he shattered them en route to a historic campaign that resulted in a unanimous National League Rookie of the Year Award.
The 22-year-old was one of several players who was slow out of the gate as the Los Angeles Dodgers as a whole got off to one of their worst starts to a season in franchise history. Bellinger began to turn the corner but it was met with more inconsistency.
He managed just one hit Friday night against the New York Mets, though certainly made the most of it. After falling behind 0-2 in the count, Bellinger turned on a fastball from Zack Wheeler for a grand slam that reached the upper deck in right field.
The grand slam was Bellinger’s second of his career, 13th home run this season, and gave the Dodgers a 4-0 lead in the sixth inning that they never relinquished.
Being that he hasn’t produced at the same astronomical level he did as a rookie, Bellinger conceded it may have led to him pressing at the plate, via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com:
“It’s been difficult,” said Bellinger. “But it’s been a good learning lesson, I guess. The guys in the clubhouse keep me even-keeled. It hasn’t been too hard. The game’s hard. Maybe I’ve tried too hard. When you don’t start off, you want to help the team and you try too hard.”
On the season, Bellinger is hitting .232/.323/.459 with 14 doubles, three triples, 13 home runs and 36 RBI. He’s tied with Max Muncy for the team lead in homers, is third in RBI and fourth in on-base plus slugging percentage (.783).
If Bellinger is able to find some semblance of consistency, it will further strengthen a Dodgers lineup that’s been carried by Matt Kemp and Muncy. In addition to Bellinger, Chris Taylor and Justin Turner have shown flashes of their respective 2017 forms.
Though the trio hasn’t yet been their usual selves, each has continued to play stellar defense. And in Bellinger’s case, that’s unexpectedly come in center field more times than not.
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