The Dodgers reinstated outfielder Cody Bellinger from the injured list before this evening’s game against the Padres. First baseman Albert Pujols was placed on the COVID-19 injured list in a corresponding move. Pujols was recently vaccinated and is feeling side effects from his second shot, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Juan Toribio of MLB.com).
Bellinger missed a minimal amount of time due to a rib fracture. He’ll return to the roster, but Gavin Lux gets the start in center field tonight. A healthy Bellinger not being in the lineup for some of the Dodgers’ most important games of the year would’ve been inconceivable a few months ago, but the 2019 NL MVP has had a miserable season. In addition to three separate IL stints, Bellinger has struggled to a disastrous .159/.237/.291 line over 337 plate appearances. With the Dodgers hoping to erase a two-game deficit behind the Giants in the season’s final week, they’ll keep the two-time All-Star in a reserve role.
Pujols has hit at a league average level since latching on with the Dodgers after being released by the crosstown Angels in May. He’s done quite well against left-handed pitching and could be a key right-handed bench bat for manager Dave Roberts this postseason.
Why?
Defensive replacement.
That, and I’m sure they want to see if he can shake off the slump even a little.
30 Parks – Agreed. Bellinger will be a hindrance more than anything. He is the Dodgers’ version of Matt Carpenter in STL. Good for a while, but currently sucks. Regardless of the reasons, he sucks.
The reason is he doesn’t have the signs anymore. Most obvious benefactor from the sign stealing era.
What?
Uhm, what?
Sign stealing LaCock!
Let me see … Fractured rib, hairline fracture in his left fibula and dislocated his shoulder all in less than a year. Yup it must be lack of sign stealing that has him in a slump. SMH.
Was going to comment on topic. Then read the existing comments. Decided baseball has no place in this discussion.
Are you referring to Matt Carpenter?
“Beneficiary,” you damn idiot.
Wait WHAT?
He’d be a good defensive replacement, but other than that…… let that boy rest and heal up. Something’s not right with him. Not to mention it’s the end of the year and he’s working with a new batting stance (?).
Crimine.
What’s funny is 2 weeks ago someone was criticizing him for not doing enough to get out of the slump, like changing his stance
No matter what he does, a vocal minority of the fan base and a whole bunch of haters will chastise it
I’m glad I said it, he changed his stance right after.
I know it’s unrelated but I still love my timing.
I’m a genuine fan of the batting stance change
I’m a fan of the change as well. I just think that, in addition to his lingering injuries, with less than a week left in the regular season, implementing a different batting stance is asking a lot.
If Bellinger is coming off the bench, I can squint and endure it, but if he’s in the starting lineup, seeing the experiment 3-4x per game in a pressurized situation is maddening.
All the negative comments here, he knows it he feels it.
Dodgers will bring the league best .159 hitter. Whatever it is with Bellinger its doubtful he will change with a week left, but they will try to see if he can.
Defense aside, I hope Bellinger has a little hot streak in a 5 or 7 game playoff series. Probably about the best a Dodger fan could ask for at this point.
Its obvious that Bellinger’s season craterd because he’s a massive stoner…
Which is more a knock on his priorities than it is on weed or whatever. Althoughhh…
And you know this because you can you smell it through the TV?
To quote you, “um, what?”
You mean you can’t?
No, not one of my superpowers. Detecting horse droppings is, though.
*Shrugs* Guess it’s my stash I’m smelling. I’m also not sure if I’m supposed to be insulted by that last comment or not. *Shrugs again*
That was my guess.
It wasn’t intended to be more insulting than your remark.
Some users here will actually know this is me riffing off another thread from another article. One I completely chastised. I guess sarcasm is dead to some. Sad.
Sorry, I don’t actually keep track of you. I hope that’s not too weird. The rest of what you said I can’t follow at all, honestly.
I’ve been hearing the “Cody Bellinger is playing stoned” theory for weeks now. I would say it never gets old, except it started out that way.
Jokes are only funny when they’re funny.
People usually don’t “know” posters unless they post doodoo every chance they get. Metsfan22, Egon Spengler, the guy that hates Metsfan22 and calls people “little girls” for their grammar.
Oh also Metsfan22 that poses as madbum, Freeman, ianfanthemson.
Claiming Cody B is a “stoner” is neither clever nor funny. Nor, is it worthy of being self-styled as “sarcasm”. It is, however, very juvenile.
So tired of the narrative that he is on pot. I have heard him say that he isn’t, and don’t care if he is. Just bad criticism.
Someone has got there knickers in a twist. I could care less if you found what I said funny or clever. Sarcasm is subjective. Would you like some cheese with that whine?
You must take everything you see and read at face value.
I never said I made a joke.
Nothing of what I said expected you or any other user to “follow me”. If anyone is “following” anything here, its the comment thread in the article I am referring to. I made that very clear in my comment. You should read things more than once.
Are you actually arguing with yourself?
Seems like you are whining here. And no one else. Juvenile.
You mean Pujols got his booster shot like the rest of the folks 65 and over.
Ouch
Although, the rest of the folks 65 and older are not getting paid $30 million by the Angels to play for the Dodgers.
I’m 70 and I just got my 3rd quarter check from the angels, 7.5 million. If you don’t get your retirement check from the angels, that’s on you.
Half of living retired baseball players get checks from Arte Moreno
Well played. Arte not realizing Albert lied about his age is astounding.
Fans not realizing that Arte didn’t give a damn is astounding. He signed Albert for the TV money
Let’s go light on Cody he played a major role in the Dodgers WS trip.
I think Bellinger gets a little more respectable in the playoffs. This is just a wash year in my mind late start due to offseason shoulder injury, freakish injuries like hairline fracture to tibia, and then hamstring injuries. I think it is wrong to give up now when he is still affordable contract wise. However, if there is a wild one sided deal out there I would listen. If he struggles again next year (injury free etc.) then I am open to moving on. He showed me a lot of maturity by changing his batting stance. He just needs to get healthy in my opinion.
Depends what you mean by affordable. Is 17 million really affordable?
Well could be 16.5 mil. For the Dodgers that is still doable
He was MVP two season ago, now he’s changing his batting stance?!? Insane. And he’s no defensive replacement either, he has made some boneheaded plays out there. While it may be injury, I think it’s weed. He’s pretty open about his use, I believe he’s a daily user and it is undoubtedly messing up his game. Anyone who has been high knows how easy it is to break concentration and focus, and in baseball, that’s everything. It has got to be impossibly difficult hitting while high. And he claims to not be high during games, I don’t believe it, I think he has played while stoned plenty of times.
Maybe MLB needs to clamp down on use of performance reducing substances
Bellinger swings harder and more viciously at the ball than Bryson DeChambeau….and the ball Bryson is trying to hit isn’t moving! Slow down and consider hitting to the opposite field.