Dodgers: Ranking most important injury returns over next few weeks

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ roster was built to sustain injuries to key players, and that’s lucky for them, because the injury bug has been running rampant through their clubhouse in 2021.

If it feels like the Dodgers haven’t had their full complement of star talent in the same lineup this season, that’s because they largely haven’t, which makes it all the more impressive they currently sit just behind the overachieving Giants in the NL West.

It would take too long to rattle off how many players Los Angeles has seen hit the shelf this campaign, so let’s focus on current events. As thing stand, the Dodgers are without the likes of Max Muncy (oblique strain), Cody Bellinger (hamstring) and Corey Seager (hand fracture) from among their major players.

Fortunately for the Dodgers, however, their trio of stars are expected to be activated from the injured list in the near future. That got us thinking: where do Muncy’s, Bellinger’s and Seager’s respective returns rank in terms of importance and overall necessity?

3. Cody Bellinger

It wouldn’t have felt right giving any of these studs the No. 3 spot on this list, so we decided to give it to the player the Dodgers have been almost entirely without this season.

Bellinger was in the Dodgers’ lineup for just four games in 2020 before he suffered a hairline fracture in his left fibula that resulted in a six-week absence. The former NL MVP was active for just two weeks before left hamstring tightness forced him to hit the shelf again.

The Dodgers held out hope that Bellinger would avoid another stint on the injured list, but that proved to be wishful thinking, as he didn’t respond well to the injury.

Dodgers star Cody Bellinger’s return is important, but not as important as you’d think.

After taking a couple days off, manager Dave Roberts revealed last week that Bellinger was running at full speed on Wednesday and felt no discomfort recovering on Thursday.

That was a key hurdle Bellinger had to clear amid his quest to return to the diamond, and the Dodgers will be hoping their slugging outfielder gets through the rest of his recovery without suffering a setback, which are all too common with hamstring injuries.

The earliest Bellinger can be reinstated is Tuesday against the Padres, which would be a huge boost for the Dodgers against their division rivals. However, given that Bellinger’s been a non-factor this season, we had no other choice but to rank him No. 3 here.