Former Dodgers Outfielder Cody Bellinger Has Turned into a Certified Dodger Killer
It seems that former Dodgers OF Cody Bellinger really enjoys playing against his former team.
Bellinger, who was non-tendered by the Dodgers this past offseason, signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs, hoping to somewhat get his career back on track.
The 27-year-old outfielder had experienced all the highs — winning a Rookie of the Year Award, a Most Valuable Player Award and a World Series Championship — and then started to experience all the lows. The Dodgers ultimately felt like they had done everything they could to fix Bellinger's swing, and decided to allow him to have a change of scenery.
Bellinger got that change of scenery in Chicago, and got off to a slow start. Heading into the Cubs' first series against the Dodgers this past weekend, Bellinger was hitting just .238 with two home runs and nine RBIs. Not necessarily bad, but he wasn't exactly showing signs of being back to his MVP self.
Then, the Dodgers series came.
The Cubs played three games at Dodger Stadium from April 14 to April 16. Bellinger went 3-for-11 in that series, including hitting a solo home run and robbing a potential home run by former Cubs OF and current Dodger Jason Heyward.
Then, he took off.
That series must have given him all the confidence in the world, because in his next game, he went an incredible 5-for-5 from the plate.
Two days later, the Dodgers were in town for another four games against the Cubs, this time in Bellinger’s new ballpark. And it’s safe to say, he’s playing with all the confidence in the world.
Through the first two games of the series, Bellinger is 3-for-6 with two solo home runs. He now has three home runs in five games against his former team, and two of them have come against the Dodgers ace Julio Urias.
Bellinger still has two more games this series to show his former team what they’re missing out on, and then, mercifully, the Dodgers won’t see him again this regular season.
The only way the teams could meet again this year would be in the postseason, but we have a long way to go before thinking about that.
At the end of the day, it was time for the Dodgers and Bellinger to part ways — and for what it's worth, his replacement, rookie James Outman, has been the best rookie in all of baseball. However, breakups are never easy, and they're even harder when the other person is doing so well...against you.
