Home runs are dominating headlines so far this MLB season, with rookie Cody Bellinger among those leading the charge.
The Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman and outfielder set a record on Monday night, becoming the fastest major leaguer to reach 21 career home runs. The 21-year-old Bellinger did it in 51 games, surpassing a record set by New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez in 2016.
“The tear he’s on right now is incredible to watch,” Alex Anthopoulos, Dodgers vice-president of baseball operations, said Tuesday during Baseball Central on Sportsnet 590 The FAN.
Anthopoulos spent several years with the Toronto Blue Jays and was the team’s general manager when it broke a two-decade franchise playoff drought in 2015. Recalling their first meeting, Anthopoulos says Bellinger reminded him of a player who achieved great heights in Toronto.
“First thing that came to mind when I saw him was he looked like Shawn Green. Wiry, lean, long; just the way they move.”
The left-handed hitting Green played for the Blue Jays from 1993-99, eventually developing into a premier slugger, hitting 35 homers in ’98 and 42 the following season. He was traded to the Dodgers in November of ’99 and continued to put up dominant offensive numbers in L.A. for several years.
Listen to the full interview with Anthopoulos in the video player at the top of this page.
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