Los Angeles Dodgers rookie slugger Cody Bellinger had very different expectations for his season before it began.
After he hit his 38th home run on Saturday, which ties him for the most all time by a rookie in the National League, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register asked Bellinger how he had thought his season would go back in spring.
“A September call-up,” he said. “That was the goal in spring training. Obviously I wanted to be up here earlier. But to be honest, the team that we had I just didn’t think there was a chance. Everything else that came this year has been crazy.”
That’s a pretty reasonable expectation for a 21-year-old first baseman turned outfielder. After the Dodgers took him in the fourth round of the 2013 draft, Bellinger had bounced around the minor leagues for a couple years and clearly expected to do that again.
Instead, he’s had a whirlwind summer in the majors.
In addition to the 38 home runs, Bellinger is hitting .275/.360/.611 and has 88 RBI. He also made the all-star game and appeared in the Home Run Derby.
“To have him in the order, to potentially slug or take that walk to keep the line moving, obviously he’s a big part of our offence,” manager Dave Roberts told Plunkett.
As the Dodgers turn their attention to the playoffs, Bellinger is now considered a core member of the group looking to bring a World Series title back to Los Angeles.
That’s a long way from where he was in spring training.
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