5 Ways The Dodgers Can Control Their Narrative in 2020

Cody Bellinger has to evolve from MVP to superstar

To say that Cody Bellinger has made the most of his time in Major League Baseball would be an understatement. Entering his fourth season in the league, his age 25 season, Bellinger has already accumulated 111 career home runs, 288 RBI, a lifetime split of .278/.368/.559, and a cumulative fWAR of 15.4.

Not too shabby to say the least.

However, if the Dodgers want that coveting World Series trophy, Bellinger is going to need to continue his evolution. That isn’t to say that he needs to better his 2019 output, but he has to pick the kind of player he wants to be moving forward. Is he the steady performer that won a Rookie of the Year in 2017 and followed that up with an “okay” 2018 season? Or is he the superstar that took home the National League MVP award in the back of .305/.406/.629 split with 47 home runs, 121 runs, 115 RBI, and 15 stolen bases in 2019?

According to current projections by ZIPS, Bellinger looks to dip a little, but still remain a force at the plate. Those rankings currently have him projected for a 5.6 fWAR season, with a .293/.392/.585 split, 40 home runs, 108 runs scored, and 120 RBI.

Of course, some of the weight will be lifted off of Bellinger this season. The acquisition of Mookie Betts adds a proven top-of-the-order bat to the line-up, which only adds to the RBI opportunities of those behind him, including Bellinger. The addition of Betts at the top also allows others to slide into supporting roles around Bellinger, improving the quality of pitching he sees throughout the game as well.

Bellinger doesn’t need to repeat as MVP in 2020, but approximating that performance will certainly do a lot to help the Dodgers push over the hump. Paired with other solid pieces, Bellinger and the Dodgers have a line-up recipe brewed for a championship.