3 Dodgers hitters to blame for surprising offensive dip

1. Cody Bellinger

One week, you’re on top, soaking in Player of the Week honors.

The next? The chalk has settled, you’ve struck out 28 times in 77 at-bats, and no one’s really sure just how mixed this bag really is.

Bellinger has objectively bounced back in the early going from a season where he took a victory away from his team in the WAR department (they, uh, lost the division by one win). Still, though, his .716 OPS is behind the slumping Mookie Betts, and as a power-first hitter, that’s supposed to be the foremost thing he provides. Belli’s also walked just six times, giving him an unsightly .274 OBP.

In essence, even his rebound April wasn’t very modern, and he’s looked more like a throwback player who’s only really helping when he’s mashing.

In Bellinger’s last seven games, specifically, he’s gone 3-for-26 with two bombs, 10 strikeouts, and a single walk, batting a cool .115.

The Three True Outcomes are fun when the Good Outcome is happening, but Bellinger’s recent output has looked more like Rob Deer than Roberto Clemente. This is still a former MVP we’re talking about. Don’t let the devastation of 2021 cloud what this guy can theoretically do at his peak.

It hasn’t been all bad so far in 2022, but Bellinger’s certainly been one of the driving forces behind this week’s offensive numbers — and just when it seemed like he’d turned a corner, too.

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