Cody Bellinger dealt with multiple injuries last year and wound up enduring the worst season of his career. After a bounce-back performance in the postseason, he reported to 2022 Spring Training with renewed optimism of carrying that momentum into his sixth season with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Unfortunately for Bellinger, he struggled mightily for most of Cactus League play, batting .139/.162/.139 with no extra-base hits and 18 strikeouts in 13 games. Despite the poor results, the 26-year-old felt it was only a matter of time before he turned a corner.
Bellinger’s intuition appears to be correct as he has recorded multiple hits in three of his last four games. “I mean, a little bit,” Bellinger answered when asked if he has a different feeling now compared to Spring Training.
“I didn’t want to stress in spring. The spring is what Spring Training is. It’s good to get out here, get the flow of the season, get a routine and just continue playing baseball every day.”
Bellinger doesn’t believe there is a specific moment where things started to feel better for him, but cited multiple factors for his offensive turnaround. “Not one that I can point out,” he began.
“Like I said a few days ago, I think the flow of the season, having a routine and playing baseball feels good.”
Bellinger’s recent hot streak comes on the heels of an 0-for-8 start at the plate. His trajectory mirrors that of the Dodgers offense, which started out slow but now is starting to show its potential.
“I think the flow of the season is starting to happen,” Bellinger said of the Dodgers lineup. “Good weather, that always helps. We’re just really good baseball players and we’re handing it off to the next guy.”
Roberts: Bellinger is ‘building confidence’
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has been encouraged by Bellinger’s early success. “I think what’s happening is he’s building confidence. This game is more confidence than anything,” Roberts said.
“You can talk about mechanics, you can talk about approach, but ultimately if a player doesn’t have that confidence, then it’s hard to have success. I think he’s starting to get that real confidence.”
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