The Dodgers announced they’ve reinstated outfielder Cody Bellinger in advance of tonight’s game against the Padres. Infielder Andy Burns has been optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding move.
Bellinger, out since June 11 with left hamstring tightness, missed barely more than the minimal ten days on the IL this time around. It was his second stint of the year, as the former NL MVP missed the majority of April and May with a left calf issue. Between the IL stints, Bellinger has been fairly shaky, hitting .226/.324/.323 with just one home run in 71 plate appearances. Surely, the Dodgers anticipate the 25-year-old finding his past form at the plate with the benefit of better health.
Even with very few contributions from Bellinger, the Dodgers have gotten off to the second-best start in the National League (44-29). They’re three games back of the division-leading Giants, though. Back-to-back losses to the third-place Padres in the first two games of the series have brought San Diego within a game and a half of L.A. entering tonight’s contest.
I suspect they brought him back earlier than they wanted 2 straight losses to padres…will do that. They have Giants coming up as well
Actually, it was mentioned over a week ago that he would probably be back on the 23rd. Today.
Or it was expected for over a week…..
The Dodgers aren’t going to rush back a player and risk his recovery just because they lost 2 games. A bad organization might do that. I haven’t heard anyone say the Dodgers were a bad organization.
I don’t think even a bad organization would do that. Not in June anyway.
You’re probably right.
It’s not even all star break and this team just won a championship.
Friedman has no monkeys on his back, he doesn’t rush talent back.
The only time any team, let alone one as stacked as the Dodgers, rush a guy back, is if it’s a must-win game. Guys might be brought back, sooner than they should be, in Sept. or Oct., but nobody does that in June, especially with a team in 2nd place in the division, and the 2nd best record in the league.
Bellinger needs more consistency in his game.
Can we all agree his career is probably over? There is so much subtext to all of this.
No we cannot. Most of us aren’t GMs or managers or physical therapists or medical doctors so we’re hardly able to make that kind of call.
Cody Bellinger? The guy is barely 25.
Seager can’t play defense and is having a Ho-hum year at the plate, Muncy is locked up for a couple more years and is older, and then you have Bellinger – I have no idea what to make of him. They have Mookie for basically forever, and even he’s having an off year… What’s the Dodgers next big contract/extension? I’m hoping for Trevor Story next year.
Things aren’t nearly as bad as you’re trying to make them. Re Seager’s “ho-hum” year and Betts’ off one, you realize it’s a long season, right? Muncy too old? Not knowing what to make of a 25-year-old former MVP? Overspending on Story when there is an in-house option in Lux should Seager depart.
No offense, but I’ll take Andrew Friedman’s judgment and track record over yours. The Dodgers will be fine in 2021 and for years to come. All told, this is the best stretch in franchise history and in some ways is just getting started. There are no real reasons for fans to complain.
^This!
Cey Hey is laying the smack down
Every team goes through rough patches, players slump, injuries pile up, and so on. Even the best teams lose some games. The NL west has three top tier teams in it this year, so right now the goal is to stay close.