Dodgers: Cody Bellinger Out of Saturday Lineup
When looking at Saturday’s Dodgers lineup in Arizona, there’s one notable name missing. Yes, All-Star slugger Cody Bellinger is not in the lineup for game 3 of 4 vs the Diamondbacks. His manager explained why.
Just trying to manage his workload.
Bill Plunkett of the OC Register reports as much.
#Dodgers Cody Bellinger gets day off v DBacks LHP Robbie Ray today. "Just trying to manage his workload," Roberts said. Corey Seager will be out of the lineup Sunday v another LHP, Alex Young
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 31, 2019
Bellinger has started 23 straight games, and appeared in 132 games this season. Moreover, the fact that Dave Roberts would pick a day off for the slugger in his home town seems a bit odd. Nevertheless, it’s likely a good call. Cody has scuffled a bit in the month of August coming into play on the 31st with a .227 average in 27 games.
His OPS (.897) still shows that he’s getting the job done, and his bWAR stands at 8 on the season, but the 24 year old can really only benefit from getting a day off ahead of the September stretch run.
Cody who? If the season was the 1st 85 games of 2019, Cody gets the MVP. But since the all star break, Cody has gone in hiding. Lots of strikeouts and leaving runners in scoring position.
I guess that is why the saying goes “it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”
Bellinger’s slump is emblematic of the whole club’s performance in August. Ryu on the ropes, Maeda iffy, Jansen just bad and way too many errors and bad AB’s. Where these guys used to work the count’s and walk if needed it seems they all have embraced the 2018 approach of swing away if its even close to the plate and the number of un-hits is climbing.
Hopefully a few (at least) of these problems get’s turned around. Otherwise a Division championship followed by a first round collapse will get the hot stove league started early.
Way he’s been playing.. keep him out!!!