The Dodgers announced they’ve placed outfielder Cody Bellinger on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to September 18, due to a left rib fracture. Luke Raley has been recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take his place on the active roster. In better news, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic) the club anticipates reinstating fellow outfielder AJ Pollock from the IL before Thursday’s game against the Rockies.
While Bellinger’s rib fracture diagnosis sounds alarming, it doesn’t seem the club expects him to miss too much time. He hasn’t played since last Friday, but he was in tonight’s initial starting lineup before being scratched because of continued soreness. That setback will keep him out of action for at least the next week, but it’s seemingly possible he’ll be back on the field before the regular season is through.
The injury is the latest development in a season that has been an unequivocal disaster for Bellinger. He’d already been on the IL twice this season with leg issues, and he hasn’t produced anywhere near his capabilities even when healthy enough to play. Over 337 plate appearances, Bellinger is hitting .159/.237/.291 with just nine home runs. He’s striking out at an alarming 26.1% rate and has managed just a .188 batting average on balls in play. Of the 242 hitters with 300+ plate appearances, only Jackie Bradley Jr. has a worse park-adjusted hitting line than Bellinger by measure of wRC+.
It’s been a shockingly poor season for the 26-year-old, who’s just two years removed from winning National League MVP honors. Bellinger couldn’t replicate that year’s massive .305/.406/.629 showing in last season’s truncated schedule, but his .239/.333/.455 mark in 2020 was still far better than this year’s performance.
Bellinger’s massive struggles set the stage for some interesting decisions for the Dodgers’ front office. Assuming he’s able to make it back from his injury in time for the postseason, they’ll need to decide whether to carry him on the playoff roster. That still seems likely, given his left-handed pop and continued plus defense in center field. But it could be difficult to find a ton of playing time for Bellinger on a loaded Los Angeles roster this postseason.
The front office’s confidence in a Bellinger bounceback will also be gauged this winter. Last offseason, he and the Dodgers agreed to a $16.1MM deal to avoid arbitration. He’s slated to go through that process twice more and will likely be due a small raise next winter. (Arbitration salaries are designed to escalate year-over-year, so Bellinger’s salary wouldn’t decline even in spite of his poor performance). At his best, Bellinger’s obviously worth far more than even that significant tally. But he’s a .192/.278/.359 hitter over 580 trips to the plate in the past two seasons, and the Dodgers certainly wouldn’t want to commit that level of outlay if they believe that to be more reflective of his current talent level than his 2017-19 peak is.
A Bellinger non-tender or trade still seems unlikely, given the Dodgers’ immense spending levels and his not too distant MVP season. But the Dodgers should still have plenty of outfield options in coming years, even if Chris Taylor departs in free agency. Mookie Betts is obviously set to play everyday, and Pollock now looks likely to be back next season because of the injury from which he’s now returning.
Pollock’s free agent deal with the Dodgers contained a vesting option that could’ve allowed him to opt out at the end of this season. To do so, he’d have needed to tally 1000 plate appearances between 2020 and 2021. For vesting option purposes, last season’s tallies were multiplied by 2.7 to prorate them over the course of a full season. Pollock picked up 210 plate appearances last year, translating to 567 after prorating. That left him in need of 433 trips to the plate this season to pick up the right to test free agency.
A few weeks ago, Pollock looked well on his way to reaching that threshold. The 33-year-old suffered a hamstring strain on September 4, though, keeping him out for almost three full weeks. He’s been stuck on 386 plate appearances since suffering that injury, meaning he needs 47 more over the course of the season to trigger the potential opt out. By Thursday, the Dodgers will have just ten games remaining in the regular season. Pollock would need to play in all ten and average 4.7 plate appearances per game to reach the option threshold (assuming he and the team haven’t modified the clause in the wake of his recent injury). While not completely impossible, it seems unlikely he’d get that much playing time over the season’s final week and a half.
That’d guarantee Pollock returns next season on a $10MM salary, an eminently affordable price for the Dodgers given his quality production. While the former Diamondback’s tenure in L.A. started slow, he’s been very effective over the past couple seasons. Going back to the beginning of 2020, Pollock is hitting .289/.339/.529 with 32 homers and 34 doubles in essentially the equivalent of one full season’s worth of playing time. He’d come out of this year’s All-Star Break scorching hot, with a .329/.379/.497 showing in the second half before his injury.
Pollock’s forthcoming return will be a welcome addition to a Dodger team hoping to avoid the Wild Card game. They’ve continued to hover just behind the league-best Giants in the NL West, entering play tonight one game back. Los Angeles closes out their season with series against the Rockies, Diamondbacks, Padres and Brewers, while the Giants will take on San Diego, Colorado and Arizona before facing the Padres again to close out the season.
Cody bellinger… dodgers about to lose a WC game. Life’s great.
MFer22, you’re disgusting. You always cheer other teams’ injuries. Why is that?
Because the newfound “Mets dynasty” he’s been praising since this off-season started out with not even making the playoffs. Let him have this one.
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
What can you say? Some people are just low class. What else is new?
bham not just MF22 but the 4 thumbs up.
True. Although, it might be him under four other names. Maybe some bitter Pads fans.
Why would an opposing fan cheer a Bellinger injury? That probably helps LA at this point. I think he’s more pointing out what a giant disappointment Bellinger is.
Better hope you’re right. Otherwise you’ll be 0/137 this year for predictions.
If this were Chase Utley, 100%. And I’m not a fan of the Dodgers; I’m a Mets fan. But you’re an ass.
LOL coming from a guy that his team is 7 games under .500. Typical Met clown.
Can you remind me the Mets record again?
Mets record was “Take Me Out To The Ballgame”, but they sucked so much that they traded it to the Cubs for a McRib sandwich & 2 packs of Hubba Bubba bubble gum.
The bubble gum was a massive overpay.
Tee hee hee, the gum got chewed out by Management, but they kept the McRib because it was hot and on a roll.
It’s fun busting on the Mets
Yes, but the Mets are still trash.
Life would be even better if you were injured.
Woah woah woah, please don’t wish harm on others, even if it’s MetsFan22.
The funnest, most riveting part of the year and you, Metsfan22, get to spend it hating on other teams because your Mets are the gonorrhoea of baseball.
It’s funny that a trash fan of a trash organization like MF22 is hating on another team who’s history he WISHES the Mets had.
And it’s not even like the Dodgers have this epic history like the Yankees, Celtics, Lakers or Patriots, but it’s still better than the tire fire that has been Mets baseball for the last 60 years.
And the Mets are going to oh wait…
Mets22: I won’t admonish you for the obvious statement because you’ve been getting it pretty good, but I will address another point: I am not a Dodger fan, other than to appreciate their team’s success and individual players I enjoy watching; that said, they have three (3!!!) Cy Young-level competitors on their pitching staff. They are probably best suited to win any single-game playoff in MLB, honestly.
Huge upgrade for the Dodgers swapping Bellinger for Pollock.
Huge upgrade swapping Reks for Bellinger at the plate right now…..lol
He has a tough triple slash to look at.
Cody is looking at slice of humble pie, if he goes to arbitration hearings this winter.
A Padres fan size slice of humble pie.
I still can’t believe you guys are gonna miss the playoffs.
What happened Preller?
I’m a Dodger fan living in San Diego. As for Preller, he and Tingler should probably be replaced for failing to get to the postseason.
Yup, I guess all that pitching the Padres bought wasn’t enough. But that’s not even the issue, as they’re not giving up a zillion runs per game. They just don’t hit and that has nothing to do with all of the injured pitching.
They need a new approach, and since Preller, The Genius just signed an extension, Tingler and staff will take the fall, and deservedly so.
He needs to learn how to hit without knowing the signs like the rest of the league had to.
His 2021 performance is not judged at the 2022 arbitration hearing for lowering salary. He got 16 million for this season and is not going to get less. Teams cut poor performing arbitration players rather than paying sometimes. Is Bellinger injury prone? Sure looks like it.
Bellinger’s shoulder, leg and rib injuries… he got hurt slamming shoulders with a teammate, colliding with a pitcher running to first, and colliding with an out of position outfielder
What an repetitive, injury prone SOB
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a more pathetic batting line for an in their prime star level player.
Yeah… I’m kind of envisioning Roberts putting his arm around Bellinger and saying, “Look, howsabout we just say you fractured a rib and you take a few days off during the stretch run?”
Shoulder surgery, followed by a fractured leg, and now a fractured rib. How much more pathetic can you get?
Stop using excuses for Bellinger. It’s not as if he didn’t heal from the previous injuries. Those of you defending Belli after the numbers he’s put up this season, are living in the past (as if this was 2019, the only great season he’s had). Any way you slice it, you don’t continue to play anyone with those pathetic numbers. Any other team, under any other manager, would have sat his ass down long time ago. This injury is a blessing for the Dodgers. It did what Roberts didn’t have the balls to do.
He doesn’t have the bells to sit Ballinger?
Hahahah. Sat his ass for who? Cmon, who did you want roaming CF while every game counts?
And before you say defense doesn’t matter, go look up Tatis’s gaff against STL this weekend. CF defense is integral to winning
So my pointing out his season of injuries offended you somehow?
And if you think Roberts makes decisions about who to play entirely on his own, you’re living in the past.
Like we don’t have other capable outfielders (Betts, Taylor). You make it sound like not playing Belli defensively is going to cost us games. What’s costing us games is his 0-4’s, the men he leaves on base every game, he’s a rally killer!!!
Previous response meant for BeforeMcCourt.
Roberts himself has said he makes decisions about the lineups. Believe you me, if the FO made the decisions Belli’s ass would have been benched months ago. Roberts is the most stubborn manager in baseball. Period.
Taylor has a bad neck and has been banged up. Even when he’s healthy he is not a CF’er. You want to risk he gets hurt 10 days before the playoffs?
Pollock got hurt as soon as they were healthy enough to actually start possibly limiting Cody’s at bats. Still not back, but he’s why they’re able to get at least 10 days for Cody. If Pollock is healthy, Cody probably is IL’d 2+ weeks ago. Alas
Mookie has a hip problem. Why risk him getting hurt playing a position he doesn’t really enjoy when you have a gold glove caliber CF’er available?
And yes. Defense wins games WAY more than 1 0-4 losses games. Wanna check? Go look at the angels. One of the worst defensive teams of the year, they’d be a fringe playoff team with just average defense. Or ask the Braves last year in the playoffs if defense matters.
How many successful teams over the years have a power hitter who sucks at defense play CF vs how many successful teams have had a fast, glove first, no bat guy play CF? First one… I can’t think of 1. It’s hilarious describing Bellinger in that way, but even at his worse, he’s the best option. It’s that simple
And you’re dumb as hell to think the FO has zero input on players being on the roster, in the lineup etc. it well may be Robert’s final call, but it’s a guarantee he at least meets with the FO each series/week/something to discuss the best lineup
For the true Dodgers fans here:
1). Given Bellinger’s poor statistics and injuries, do you suppose the Dodgers go after a FA/trade-based CFer for next year? IE, Starling Marte.
2). Do you all think the Dodgers pony up the money to retain Seager, or let him walk and utilize T. Turner at SS?
Just curious because the Dodgers always seem to improve, never becoming content, and seek to provide serious depth.
And i hope Bellinger recovers well. Judge had a fractured rib and it kept him out a while.
@amjr. It is simple foolishness to believe that the manager of probably the most analytical team in baseball makes it up as he goes along, doesn’t play the FO’s game plan, and keeps his job while doing it. Period, as in, full stop.
@Yankee Clipper. I believe the likeliest scenario is retaining Seager and continuing to play T. Turner at 2B. Ironically, Bellinger’s terrible season might make that easier, as it will seriously reduce his salary increase through arbitration. They are also trying to unblock Lux by playing him in the OF, which in theory makes Taylor expendable.
BlueSkies: That makes a lot of sense. I’ve read so much about whether Seager stays or goes, but I don’t think the Dodgers’ financial situation will be as limited as many suppose, for a few reasons.
Thank you.
BeforeMeCourt: You can throw the Yankees in that same conversation about defense losing games. Also, LAD has a big advantage of Bellinger can’t return because they can throw Trea Turner in CF and he will perform well as his speed and athleticism are top-tier, and he has prior (granted, it’s limited) experience out there.
@YC, while much is made about two bad years in a row for Bellinger, if you look closer at his 2020, his struggles were very centralized in the first 8 games/week of the season. After those first 8, he had a 870 OPS. He really wasn’t “bad” last year. He just had a horrible start, then a pretty solid 2 months
I see no way they cut him or trade him at an all time low value. I truly believe he needs an offseason like Seager did. Seager came back from hip+ TJ surgery able to play. But he was slicing the ball not driving, and seemed to swing 100% if he started to move. The next year, with a full offseason to get strong, he came back looking like did in his ROY campaign. I think Bellinger can follow that trajectory. The 18M is a gamble worth taking. You can’t lose a talent like that for nothing
I think Seager transforms this lineup in a unique way. It’s truly dynamic when him and Trea are together with mookie. And that’s sans Bellinger. If they all are “right”, yeesh. So I think they pony up and keep Corey. I think Trea is used as leverage to try to keep it to 7-8 years hopefully, maybe higher AAV, but I think in the end they pay the tax for a few years and try to make a dynasty. The lineup with Corey out is just not the same
BeforeMe: “If they all are ‘right’”. Yes, absolutely…I think they provided a good demonstration of that last year in the WS where they looked truly unbeatable and Seager was operating at another level.
Thanks for the input, I’m always interested in the big-name free agent destinations, and obviously, the Yankees ‘may’ be in play for a SS (whom I believe will be Story IF they splurge).
Bellinger: I agree and frankly, I take 2020 with a grain of salt because so many things were off, from training to late-season start, to playing condensed games. He came through big obviously in the postseason on several occasions, which I think is more indicative of his baseline. Shoulder surgeries are no joke and can take a LOT of time to recover. I couldn’t get right for two years after mine because my mechanics we’re screwed.
Yankee-
Utilize Trea in CF, Lux can play SS his natural position and QO/resign CT3. That’s the solution to the issue
Why are you using team defense for the Angels and 1 person’s 0-4 for Bellinger? Poor comp.Would a single defender make the Angles an average defensive team in your example?
Righhhhtttt….. .Like his 2017 season when he won rookie of the year and hit 39 homers wasn’t great? And FYI, most players can’t play very well while they have a fractured rib.
Bellinger will be fine. He is way too talented to not be.
Shawn Green hit 42 home runs with a .558 SLG% in 158 games in 2002. He had a shoulder problem that crushed his power down to 19 HR and .460 SLG% in 160 games the following season.
We all saw what happened to Bellinger and what he’s struggled with since that big game. Any GM would be willing to “buy low” on him if the Dodgers were silly enough to part ways now.
Yeah no. Bellinger won an mvp in the last full season. The answer isn’t “move a bunch of guys to positions they don’t play as well”
The payroll is 200M+. And that plus is large. You take the 15-18M gamble that Bellinger needs to get healthy and then will be close to his old self. You don’t throw an asset away like that
“ Why are you using team defense for the Angels and 1 person’s 0-4 for Bellinger? Poor comp.Would a single defender make the Angles an average defensive team in your example?”
Because the angels, without trout and rendon, are a playoff team with an average defense. But since they have a bottom 5 defense paired with a bottom 10 pitching staff, they’re nothing.
The angels aren’t one bat away from competing. They very well could be 1-2 good defenders from at least being a fringe WC team. That’s the comp. they don’t need offense. But they sure as hell could improve the defense. Bellinger doesn’t help the offense rn, but he sure as hell helps the defense. See?
And honestly? A good defensive SS and a good defensive OF’er transforms that whole team. Makes the pitching staff better, keeps a ton of unearned runs off the board, leads to less fatigue from guys having to get 4 or 5 outs in an inning because their SS made his 50th error of the year. Or his OF’er lost a double in the lights. Or is Justin upton and just too slow to get to anything.
YC, Bellinger really got the short end of the stick in terms of rehab. First his surgery was delayed because he was in the WS, and it already was a short offseason. Then he broke his leg in a collision (I believe) in ST, and he’s had 2 rib issues now. This last one, is because Lux was out of position in LF and they collided. I just hope he doesn’t need any touch up surgery, and he can just work on getting strong this offseason. He’s too talented and too controlled to kick him to the curb, even if his salary is high
Trust me, the Yankees and every other team would be calling Boras if LA non-tendered Bellinger. Guarantee, no matter what his naysayers want to claim. Elite CF with 40 HR power? Multiple years of control via arb. Any smart FO rolls that dice
Mixed with losing the ability to steal the signs like the rest of the league.
Jjd002: Kevin K and the Rays found another way….ya know, five-finger-discount the other team’s sign card.
@Jdgoat the Mets lineup is bad but most pathetic ever? That is probably overstating it a bit.
I fractured three ribs one time. It hurts like a MFer22.
“If you’re going to be stupid, you better be tough.”
These days, my “tools” – as such – are a cellphone & a tablet. But I used to spend a lot of time on my jobs with a nail gun or trowel in my hand. I remember a job that I was building ~ 20 years ago.
I got into…ya know, a thing over the weekend. & busted 2 ribs.
Come Monday, I had to get a house we framed shingled up. I had to get the inside guys going right away, so it needed to be water tight. The longer it took the less I made.
Lord. I spent a day & a half up there with tears running down my cheeks, bro. Hurt so bad.
Too much sake-sake, Ducky?
Pretty much, Clip.
Can’t imagine swinging a bat with your ribs hurt like that.
Hoping dodgers trade bellinger at some point. Far too streaky and with boras as his agent will want top dollar. Easy pass, we seen how he plays in playoffs
He won’t be sold low, I don’t think. They’ll give him a chance to rebound. Pretty sure they’ll lowball his arb amount, though.
Top dollar? lmao his performance this season speaks for itself contract wise
Boras will likely speak to him having a ceiling as an mvp. Outside of this year been above average but I have never been a fan. Always scores runs in non impact moments similarly to Eric Karos. At the end up the year stats are impressive except when in crucial spots no where to be found. Bellinger is talented but also lacks work ethic that players like betts, Turner, scherzer and kershaw have.
@tatsumaki: Sounds a lot like Darryl Strawberry.
You hit the nail on the head, he doesn’t have the MVP level work ethic of the other players you mentioned.
His approach needs to change if he wants to regain all-star status.
He has to to tinker with his swing like Turner.
Through his struggles, not much has changed in his swing.
Laziness or ego in the way?
“ You hit the nail on the head, he doesn’t have the MVP level work ethic of the other players you mentioned.
His approach needs to change if he wants to regain all-star status.
He has to to tinker with his swing like Turner.
Through his struggles, not much has changed in his swing.
Laziness or ego in the way?”
Now you’re just making stuff up. Bellinger doesn’t tinker with his swing? Seriously!? He’s CONSTANTLY changing it. Which means… you can do it… he’s working endlessly with his hitting coaches, and then trying new things in the game. It’s legitimately the polar opposite of what you’re trying to claim
My bad, to my untrained eye it looks the same over the last 2 years.
To be fair, it’s been hard to catch his at bats consistently.
To me it looks like he’s been swinging out of his cleats in exactly the same way.
Hunting for HR’s, the last 2 years.
I clearly don’t know as much as you do in the subject though.
Just look at other Bellinger posts from last couple weeks here. There are endless complaints about how bad he’s looked with his new stance(s).
If you watch his recent at bats, he’s not hunting the HR at all. He’s just trying to make contact. The fact he’s not doing any better with a different approach, to me, just reinforces the idea he’s not 100% healthy or close to it. Shoulder, leg, 2 rib injuries. He needs a long ass ice bath, not a new stance
He’s clearly having a horrible year by any standard. But he’s not just resting on his laurels of past success. He’s just not. Same as he’s not suddenly horrible at baseball because he looks stoned. Dude is clear as day playing hurt
Okay, let’s hear what sdbaseballgirl has to say.
Any chance Bellinger gets traded? Lefty bat could help Yankees
I could see it happening but don’t think it’s likely.
LA wants to keep Scherzer, Kershaw, Seager, and Taylor but that would probably put them over the luxury tax 2 years in a row.
Maybe moving Belli, even in a sell low deal, saves them money to resign the hot players.
I still think they stick with him and change his swing around before they try moving him.
The new collective bargaining agreement may change the taxpayer penalties for repeat offenders. So it’s anyone’s guess what might happen in the offseason?
The most recent article I read reflected an anticipated increase of 100mm on the CBT. Obviously, time will tell but salaries will necessitate such a large increase.
What you read was an owner proposal and that was a nonstarter for the union. We won’t know anything until after the lockout/strike ends.
In all fairness Bellinger is a good fit in that lineup without a TRUE cf and the short right field perfect for his pop ups to the OF
In the “members” mailbag – or whatever – Mr Dierkes did lightly speculate about a Gleyber for Bellinger trade.
I was thinking maybe Robles would be more realistic though. Washington could probably use a middle infielder. Dodgers seem to be pretty well covered at 2nd.
Ducky, there was a recent article positing the same trade on one of the Dodgers’ sites. Straight up change of scenery for both. I see how that could benefit the Yankees, but the LAD has a stacked IF, unless they aren’t going to pursue Seager.
Honestly, I think I’d rather go for either Starling or Ketel Marte at CF for us.
Yeah.
I can see both being moved in some type of “change of scenery” deals. But I’m not sure if they really have a fit there.
Yanks have to do something at SS. They should also address CF depth in some fashion too. Can’t go into next year relying on Hicks & Gardy again. & they don’t seem to have much faith in Florial either.
Yanks might not have too extensive of an offseason shopping list after that (probably a starter too). But I would love to see an OF of Judge, S Marte, & Gallo. Be some great D out there.
Why on earth would LA want Gleyber… or Robles? Bellinger isn’t a prospect who’s struggled in his first look of MLB. He’s a ROY+ league MVP within the first 3 years of his career who had a major role in the teams title the next year. What has either done to sell this low on Bellinger?
It’s nothing
Lux for one of them is eons more likely than Bellinger. He is actually close to their career paths
“He”, who has forgotten more about the sport then knowledge you presently possess, believes Bellinger won’t be traded or arbitrate, he’ll sign a 1 year agreement. He’ll undoubtedly improve next year but his last 750 PA has cost him a whole lot of future money. I’m not sure how Boras is going to convince anyone to pay Chris Davis money again.
Really? Because his last 200 PA of 2020 were pretty darn good. But that would require you to actually do research
Que the believers that say Bellingers demise is because he’s a “stoner”.
Read story as fractured bong.
Already sending my thoughts and prayers.
Haters gonna hate LaCock, haters gonna hate..
So…you don’t think it’s a cough-induced rib fracture?
It definitely came from rippin that bong just a little too hard.
Where you come up with the stuff? Can you smell it through the TV or something?
Hey. Just because 85% of it’s victims are elderly women with osteoporosis, costal arch fractures are no laughing matter.
All you guys calling Bellinger pathetic is hilarious… former mvp world series champion and made almost 17 million this year.. I’ll gladly take his pathetic life any day
The Dodger lineup is so deep, protection for everyone is in order, except for the number 8 spot. The runs scored show that. That being said, Bellinger can be left off the playoff roster unless they need D late. No excuses for him. Teams are pitching to him. Same goes for the Brewers and the struggling Jackie Bradley. Great D, no bat this year as well.
… you realize he was IL’d right in time for him to be back for the wild card game, right?
He’s not missing any playoff games
That’s worse than Chris Davis’ 2019 slash line in which he broke the record for longest hitless streak.
Fractured the rib slipping in some Barbecue sauce. Now he can slow cook until the playoffs.
His decline is highly likely related to lingering issues related to his shoulder. It often takes a full season for the player to recover. Sometimes they never fully get back to their prior form, although that’s the more extreme outcome. He’d be a great buy-low candidate, but the Dodgers know this too. They’ll give him 2022 to physically get back on track.