Cody Bellinger Bombs: Chronicling Home Run 48

Dodgers Nation will be writing about ‘Bellinger Bombs’. The Dodgers have one of the best young power hitters in the game under contract for the foreseeable future. Writers like Sam Miller have asked the question ‘What if Cody Bellinger is going to break the all-time home run record’. As the career home runs continue to pile up, we will examine each one in greater detail. We will allow you; the fan, to savor each one as they should be. Because what’s more fun than a home run? (You can look back at the collection here). 

Like the last home run he hit, Cody Bellinger was in need of some momentum. During the slump heard ’round Blue Heaven, Bellinger has seen his average plummet into the mid-.220’s. Bellinger’s stance has seen an adjustment which you should be able to notice in the video footage. He’s quieter in the with bat movement, and now has a slight crouch. In the midst of debates about him being sent to the minor leagues, Bellinger showed on Tuesday night how quickly lightning can strike when he’s in the box. I’m not sure that anyone else the Dodgers could add right now provides that type of quality.

This was another home run served as the complimentary side dish rather than the main-course in this game. The Dodgers won the game 5-0 against the Pirates. We’re here to tell you all about Bellinger’s 48th career home run – his ninth of the 2018 season. While it wasn’t one that will be written about in the historic annals of the 2018 season, it was another important swing for Bellinger in his young career.

The Home Run

Back in business! #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/BWdia37aAh

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 6, 2018

The Bellinger home run log keeps a nice tally for us after each tater he hits. This was the fourth straight home run he’s hit to center field, and seventh of his career to that area of a ballpark. He’s hit 24 home runs on the road, equal again to the number he’s hit at Dodger Stadium. This marks the first time he’s homered at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, not known as a hitter’s paradise.

With 48 career home runs, he’s moved into a tie for 61st place on the Dodgers’ all-time list with two others, Kal Daniels and Tim Wallach. His 33rd career home run off a right-handed pitcher was a fun one to watch. The ball landed over the script ‘PIRATES’ hedge bushes in center field. You don’t see a ton of balls hit to this area of that stadium, so it was an impressive no-doubter off the bat.

How Bellinger’s Home Run Impacted The Game

Home runs by Joc Pederson and Yasiel Puig preceded Bellinger’s blast. The dominant pitching by Ross Stripling positioned the Dodgers comfortably to be able to win this ballgame before Bellinger stepped in the box in the top of the sixth inning.

Still, the home run increased the lead from 4-0 to 5-0, and the Dodger win expectancy climbed from 92 percent to 95 percent. So many of Bellinger’s 2018 home runs have been like this – hit late in the game when the outcome has largely been decided. It would be really nice to see him hit one that swings a Dodger loss to a win. Nevertheless, with the way things are going, beggars can’t be choosers in regards to Bellinger home runs.

The Victim

There was some irony in regards to the victim, Tyler Glasnow. On the day after the 2018 MLB Draft took place, one former highly-touted prospect homered off another. Glasnow was expected to be a frontline starter upon entering the league – but is working out his problems in the Pittsburgh bullpen.

In 40 career appearances, Glasnow sports an ERA of 6.08 in his career. This was the 18th home run allowed in his career. Glasnow still features good velocity, and is just 24 years old. This likely won’t be the last time that these two face off in what figures to be two lengthy big league careers.

Exit Velocity, Distance, Pitch Data, and Angle

#Dodgers 5 @ #Pirates 0 [T6-2o]?Cody Bellinger homers (9): fly ball to CF (solo)

96.6mph Four-seam Fastball
RHP Tyler Glasnow (3)

— Home Run Tracker (@DingerTracker) June 6, 2018

In a three-ball, one-strike count, Glasnow made a fatal mistake. By watching the replay, the ball was in Bellinger’s wheelhouse. It was not up in the zone where he’s struggled with contact. In other words: Glasnow did his part to wake up the sleeping dragon. No matter the score, you cannot throw Bellinger a 3-1 fastball in this area of the strike zone.

Bellinger hit one of his harder balls of the entire season at 108 miles per hour exit velocity. The ball landed 422 feet from home plate and traveled via a 27-degree launch angle. We gave mention to Glasnow’s good velocity, and this was nearly a 97 mile per hour fastball. In any case, this is evidence that no matter how hard you throw, big league power hitters will hurt you if you don’t locate.

Overall Bellinger-Bomb Prominence Score

This was a monster home run in terms of where it landed, and we think highly-enough of the young Glasnow who served it up. But this one still lacked the sizzle needed to give it a huge score. The Dodgers were comfortably ahead, and it came in a road park (we give greater scoring weight to home runs hit in Los Angeles, just because).

It was a big swing for a young hitter in the middle of a tough slump. This was a signal that Bellinger should probably get more time to work out his mechanical and mental issues at the big league level. We continue to wait for Bellinger to hit one out of the park in a high-leverage situation that wins the Dodgers a game. For now, this earns a solid score.

Dodgers’ Nation Prominence HR Score: 7.5