Dodgers News: Cody Bellinger Is Under Incredible Pressure and Running Out of Time
The 2021 MLB season has not gone Cody Bellinger's way. In fact, it has been nothing short of horrendous for Bellinger. Currently worth -1.5 bWAR and slashing .161/.240/.295, and his last 30 games have been worse. Over his last 30 games, Bellinger is slashing .111/.156/.156.
Nobody around baseball expected this miserable of a season for Bellinger. There were going to be struggles returning from offseason shoulder surgery, but nobody predicted this. We're talking about a player who in 2019 won an MVP with an OPS of 1.035 and 47 home runs.
Recently, Bellinger has been seen making changes to his stance and his approach. The results have been only mildly improved, but improvement is improvement nonetheless. The Dodgers however, really need Bellinger to catch fire in this final stretch, still trailing the Giants by a game in the Western Division standings.
CBS ran an article on Wednesday asserting that Cody Bellinger is under more pressure than anyone in baseball. The Dodgers and Bellinger are heading into the last two weeks of the regular season, and the clock is ticking on Bellinger's performance. Bellinger isn't just fighting for a postseason roster spot, he's fighting for his livelihood. He'll not be an unrestricted free agent until 2024, but having an entire season like this won't help when the time arrives.
There are still two weeks to catch fire and end the season on a high note for Bellinger, but for him and the Dodgers, the clock is ticking.
The Dodgers will have Chris Taylor, AJ Pollock, and even Gavin Lux to fill his void if they choose to bench Bellinger. Matt Beaty is also always waiting in the wings.
It's never too late, but it sure is getting close.
