Cody Bellinger had a memorable start to his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, winning numerous awards and a World Series title before it all came crashing down.
Bellinger was named the 2017 National League Rookie of the Year, was the 2019 MVP, got selected to two All-Star Games and helped the Dodgers win the 2020 World Series.
However, a dislocated right shoulder suffered during the 2020 postseason derailed his career. In 2021, Bellinger was below a replacement-level player, and in 2022, he rebounded to just being below league average.
This season, Bellinger has returned to form with the Chicago Cubs, which prompted his agent Scott Boras to discuss the center fielder’s struggles over the past two seasons as free agency looms months ahead.
Boras blamed the poor production on Bellinger playing hurt without full shoulder strength, while saying the Dodgers asked him to play injured.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman responded, brushing off Boras’ comments, via Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:
“I don’t want to stoop down to that level,” Friedman told The Times. “But I find it to be a very convenient narrative. We weren’t surprised by it at all.”
Boras went on to say Bellinger was deprived of the expert medical treatment he needed due to COVID-19 and that the club asked him to play with a 35% strength deficiency without understanding the impact of the injury.
Friedman did point out that Boras did not mention the Boras Sports Training Institute, which is a fitness and rehab center for athletes with one location in Newport Beach:
“What I found really interesting was that there was no mention of the Boras Institute and its role in any of this,” Friedman said. “But I’ll just leave it at that.”
The Boras Sports Training Institute received two Paycheck Protection Loans, the first in April 2020 and the second in April 2021, to retain nine members of their staff during the pandemic, which raises questions to Boras’ complaints about the inability to get Bellinger treatment.
Boras later went on to walk back his comments blaming the Dodgers, clarifying the team did not ask Bellinger to play injured and it was a mutual decision.
Earlier this season, Bellinger said he underestimated the impact of his shoulder surgery and believed he may have rushed back to the field too soon.
Scott Boras didn’t expect Cody Bellinger non-tender
Although Bellinger likely needed a change of scenery and a fresh start, Boras was still surprised when the star was non-tendered after the 2022 season.
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