Since the Los Angeles Dodgers called up Cody Bellinger last week from Triple-A Oklahoma City, the organization’s top position prospect has started each of the past seven games, entering play Tuesday night against the San Francisco Giants.
Bellinger’s already displayed his ballyhooed power — slugging two home runs on Saturday in a comeback victory against the Philadelphia Phillies — and his versatility, by playing all seven games in left field.
On Monday night, the 21-year-old made an impressive head-first slide into home plate to avoid Buster Posey’s tag attempt. Bellinger credited Andrew Toles for providing direction on where to slide.
Later in the game, Bellinger beat the Giants’ shift with a perfectly-placed bunt single for a second time this season.
“There’s certain things with being a Major League baseball player that the game tells you what to do,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
“He trusts his instincts, he has very good instincts. In that situation, they’re giving you the bunt base hit, we need to get the winning run at the plate. It was a heads-up play. The instincts are just off the charts.”
During the spring, Roberts regularly praised Bellinger for his poise at such a young age. The second-year manager attributed that to Bellinger having spent several years in and around a Major League clubhouse during his father’s career.
In the short time Bellinger has been up with the Dodgers, Roberts has already noted a difference and improvement in being more aware of the intricacies that lie within the game.
“He doesn’t have a lot of at-bats under his belt, so he’s really made the adjustment pretty quickly,” Roberts said. “He’s fun to watch.”
