Corey Seager’s season-ending Tommy John surgery has set off a chain reaction of position changes for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Among those affected include Chris Taylor, who now sees the bulk of his reps at shortstop after beginning the year as the club’s everyday center fielder.
As a domino effect, Cody Bellinger has begun receiving more opportunities in center field, with Max Muncy seeing an increased workload at first base in the wake of Justin Turner returning from the disabled list and assuming his usual spot at third base.
For Muncy, he feels a sense of comfortability at first base, having played there exclusively in the Minors.
Given his tremendous athleticism, some executives within the Dodgers organization reportedly believe Bellinger may be better suited for full-time center field duties, via Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:
“Some around the Dodgers believe Cody Bellinger’s athleticism is wasted at first base. They say that he should be in center field, where he started for the first time [May 16].”
Bellinger, who has Major League experience at all three outfield positions, first saw time in center field during his rookie season. The 22-year-old has already appeared in more games at the position this season (12) than all of last year (four).
With Seager being sidelined for the remainder of the year, many have speculated that the Dodgers will attempt to upgrade at shortstop via trade, with Manny Machado most prominently coming to mind.
But that may not be necessary, especially if Bellinger is able to stick in center field. The organization can instead pursue trades at other positions, including first base, where an improvement may be easier to come by given the abundance of options.
Moreover, the strong sentiment about Bellinger is not new to this season. Late last year, a report indicated the Dodgers considered him their best option in center field.
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