Dodgers: Three key stars lackluster in NLDS defeat

Cody Bellinger’s Continued October Slump

Bellinger’s age 24 season went better than could have been expected. He smacked 47 home runs while still managing to hit for AVG, with a .304 AVG and 34 doubles. He also is more than likely to earn a Gold Glove for his play in both center field and right field. Don’t forget he led the team in stolen bases by going 15-20.

He failed on the biggest stage, and as I mentioned earlier, he did so in direct juxtaposition with Rendon and Soto smacking fastballs and sliders off of Buehler, Ryu, Kershaw and the bullpen all series long.

Bellinger did not add a home run to the two hit by his teammates in Game Five, and he did not hit one at all this series. In fact, he did not drive in a single run after driving in 115 this season.

Why didn’t that version of Bellinger show up? Obviously, it’s impossible to tell, and it’s easy to blame Bellinger for the losses. But he did still contribute, and it’s amazing to see how hard he works away from the plate when his bat is not at its peak. He stole two bases and made an amazing defensive play in Game Five.

He’s still young, so some volatility is expected, especially with how hard and long his swing can be. In all three of the postseasons he’s been in for the Dodgers in his young career, he’s struggled. His one redeeming series came in 2018’s NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers, a series in which he won the MVP. Hopefully, this experience further drives him to improve his batting average skills to continue to drive the team to success in 2020.