Dodgers News: Bellinger Left Out of Lineup for Second Consecutive Game
Cody Bellinger has been with the Dodgers since he made his debut in 2017 after being drafted by LA in 2013. But that was 5 years ago.
Cody Bellinger was sat two games in a row in the team’s final series of the season just this past weekend. Bellinger took the outfield in Game 1 and 2 but his performances as well as lack of action all season long weren’t enough for Dave Roberts.
The question leading up to the NLDS was who would be in that lineup that would make it count when the team needed him most? Would that postseason Cody Bellinger make an appearance or was this just going to be another swing and a miss like all season long?
Between Games 1,2, and an appearance in the fifth during Game 3, Bellinger went 1-for-6 and was struck out 4 times.
Before the Game 4, Doc was asked about his decision to bench the former NL MVP.
“Yeah, I just felt that Cody hasn’t had a lot of success against Musgrove and a good sample. Joe has had a lot more success versus left-handed hitters than right-handed hitters, and there’s a lot of spin, and I just feel that tonight to win one game, I just felt that Trayce and Chris just had a better chance.”
“Obviously Cody wants to be in there, but this is a decision that I had to make, I chose to make.”
Watch the full pre-game interview here:
The stats don’t lie, Bellinger is 2 for 17 against Musgrove in his career. And Musgrove has proved to be more difficult for left-handed batters (a .203 average and .622 OPS) than right-handed (.254 and .720).
In the top of the 8th during Game 4, Dave Roberts gave Bellinger the opportunity to pinch-hit for Chris Taylor. A fly out to the center field. Was this Doc giving Cody one final chance to prove himself in a Dodgers uniform?
Last year, Belli signed a one-year 17 million contract to avoid arbitration. But this might be the end of the road in LA for the two-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year.
Bellinger has made $33 million while hitting .193 with a .611 OPS over the past two seasons. He is eligible for salary arbitration for the final time this winter – which almost always guarantees a salary increase. But it’s unlikely the Dodgers will offer him that type of money without seeing much from it this year.
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every move roberts makes is the wrong move.he has no idea how to manage in big games.true the dodgers did not execute at an alarming rate but look at every single year under roberts with the exception of 2020.he manages by a computer.you cant win that way and the record proves my point.
I’ve never been the biggest Roberts fan, but to be fair, he was NOT the reason for the Dodgers failure. He had about the same number of hits with runners in scoring position as anyone else in the lineup! Before series started I said Dodgers would need to score at least 5 runs a game to win. Their pitching was good, not great. The pitchers did their job and kept them in the games. Hitters took an early vacation
You Nailed It! I couldn’t Agree more. The one exception happened in a very short season in a vacuum environment. No screaming fans to unnerve him. This will continue as long as he ‘manages’ this team!!!
You’re an idiot
Out of Codi, Joey G, and CT one should make the roster next year and it will be CT with that contract. I think Vargas and Outlander make the roster in the everyday lineup. Muncy is signed and may have a better year with more time after his injury from last year. If so great, if not ugh, but again he got an extension. JT needs to go for a ride on an ice floe. Vargas can split time with Muncy on third, and take an outfield spot when Muncy plays third. Figure out who is the SS if it’s Lux then you need second base, CT can play some there but given his bat and glove shortcomings you either need a kid up with the big league team to split time with him, that means Hanser goes.
Cody Bellinger was upset at not being in lineup and other players were upset also. In the playoffs you play your best players. These are men not machine cogs you plug in. The Dodgers looked flat.
I’m pretty sure that was Cody’s last game as a Dodger.
17 million….offer him 1 with incentives.
Agree!
About time to get rid of , Bellinger ..actually past time… and get rid of Roberts too.. he has show he can’t win when it counts… how many tried does he get??
Roberts show just how bad a manager he is. Knows nothing about using the bullpen or playing small ball. Just sits there hoping for a dinger. Putting Taylor in for Beli is another example. Think Taylor is the only Dodger who strikes out more than Beli. Roberts stays with his veterans way toooo long. He still keeps Lux out even when he was hitting 300. until he hurt his neck, then even after he was healed kept him out. Roberts does the same thing he did last year. At the end of the season he starts keeping his best players out losing the rhythm of the game. Then they lose the edge.
The major problem was the 0 for 19 with RISP. Contributing to this were Smith, JT, Muncy, T Turner, Thompson, Lux, and probably the whole ball club, except for Freeman. . A team, even a good one, cannot win with that kind of number. And, if Muncy would have been able to field Kim’s grounder down the line in the 7th, it would have been a double play and they probably would have won the game. It still is a game of inches! During the series, the Dodgers did hit quite a few hard hit shots right at fielders. Still, it was pitiful and pathetic, as their hitting, fielding and bullpen gave way.
Get knew hitting coaches. Their philosophy of launch w/ no contact got to go! Their looping, swing and miss, hitting just high pop ups and soft rollovers are not cutting it when a simple hit or oppo line drive to get an RBI. Cody, JT, Gallo, CT and at times Freddie too need to change that windmill swing. I believe you remove all of these guys except Freddie, and change the philosophy, you will have a more consistent offense.
Belli isn’t worth any amount of money. Bye Belli..Trea Turner won’t be back either.
Bellinger,Gallo need to go, but Dodgers need Trea Turner- Not a better 1,2,3 batters in a lineup than Betts, T . Turner, and Freeman period. Dodgers need starting pitching & Right handed hitters. Are you listening GM Friedman – If picked up starters at the trade deadline & a reliever like Hader we would have still be playing!!!!
I could never understand why they did not have Belli bunt more or just slap the ball down the left field line. He would have had plenty of singles and doubles! Of course, now with the shift gone, it is no longer a career saver for him. He would have been on base a lot more instead of being an almost automatic out.
Dave Roberts has to go!! Same nonsense everytime!! You have a starter going along and he pulls them out. He has no isea how to manage a pitching staff.
So long Hellinger. We won’t miss you.