Over recent seasons the Los Angeles Dodgers have shifted to infusing their roster with talented prospects who were methodically ushered through the farm system. That approach has been mixed with a blend of veterans to produce a perennial World Series contender.
The youth movement was accelerated this season when the Dodgers called up Cody Bellinger for his MLB debut on April 25. Ranked the organization’s top position-player prospect, the 21-year-old has taken the Majors by storm.
His emergence factored into Adrian Gonzalez’s decision to go on the disabled list for the first time in his career.
Gonzalez recently explained in greater detail why the perception of being threatened by Bellinger’s presence is incorrect, via Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times:
“I’m not worried about my position. There’s a big misconception that people have that we have this competition or that we have this pride, like, ‘Oh, no, it’s my position.’
“I mean, I’m just here to win. It’s not about, ‘It’s my position,’ or, ‘It’s his position.’ It’s about winning as a team. If he’s the best guy for the team that day, he’s going to play. If I’m the best guy for the team that day, I’m going to play.”
Bellinger is a left-handed hitting first baseman like Gonzalez, but he’s also capable of playing all three outfield positions, which aids a potential logjam. The Dodgers have started Bellinger at first base, left field and right field.
He initially joined the team to fill a void in the outfield due to injuries, and has since spent the bulk of his time at first base in the wake of Gonzalez landing on the disabled list for a second time.
The 35-year-old is not recovering from a herniated disc in his back as hoped, which could lend to Gonzalez not returning until September. Whenever he’s ultimately activated, Bellinger presumably would slide back to the outfield.
In May, Bellinger said he was looking forward to being in the lineup at the same time with a healthy Gonzalez.
