After being dumped by the Los Angeles Dodgers, 토토사이트 Cody Bellinger has been resurrected in a Chicago Cubs uniform. Coincidentally, he’s been hitting well ahead of Hyun-jin Ryu’s (Toronto Blue Jays) start.
Bellinger started in the No. 4 spot in the lineup and went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored in the Cubs’ 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on Wednesday.
After warming up with a foul fly to left field in his first at-bat, Bellinger hit an RBI single with runners on first and second in the fourth inning to tie the game at 1-1. After harassing Toronto starter Chris Bassitt with four consecutive foul pitches at 1B-1S, he took a seven-pitch slider for his second straight hit. He then came home on Dansby Swanson’s walk-off three-run homer.
Bellinger was held to an infield single in the sixth with a 4-3 lead, but he got his bat going again in his final at-bat. With the score tied 4-4 in the ninth inning, he took a 96.7 mph (155 km/h) two-pitch fastball from Jordan Hicks for a walk-off double. His second straight multi-hit game. He later scored the game-winning run on Christopher Morel’s RBI single.
[Photo] Cody Bellinger ⓒGettyimages (All rights reserved)
With his two hits, Bellinger improved his season batting average from 3-for-2.9 to 3-for-3.1. He remains fourth in the National League in batting average, behind Luis Arajuez (3.6-for-5, Miami Marlins), Freddie Freeman (3.4-for-2, Los Angeles Dodgers) and Ronald Acuna Jr. (3.3-for-6, Atlanta Braves).
Both Cubs and Toronto managers named Bellinger the man of the game. “He was our MVP,” Cubs manager David Ross said. That double in the ninth was huge,” while Toronto manager John Schneider said, “I think he’s been the best hitter in the majors the last two months.”
[Photo] Cody Bellinger ⓒGettyimages (All rights reserved)
Bellinger burst onto the scene in 2017, hitting .266 with 39 home runs and 97 RBIs in 132 games for the Dodgers, earning National League All-Star and Rookie of the Year honours. He continued the momentum two years later, batting 30-for-57 with 47 homers, 115 RBIs and a 1.035 OPS in 156 games, winning MVP, All-Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger honours.
But that would be the last of his breakout seasons. He quickly became a mediocre hitter, starting with a 2-for-39 slump in 2020 and ending with a three-season, 41-homer, .648 OPS slump last year. To make matters worse, injuries to his left shin, hamstring, and ribs led to frequent rehab stints and eventually a non-tender release from the Dodgers after the 2022 season.
[Photo] Cody Bellinger ⓒGettyimages (All rights reserved)
Bellinger’s resurgence in a Cubs uniform has been spectacular. After struggling to find his groove in May with a 2-for-6 monthly average, he followed that up with a 2-for-5 June, a 4-for-4 July, and a 4-for-5 August. In 86 games, Bellinger is batting .941 with 18 homers, 59 RBIs, 17 doubles and an OPS of .941, which is better than his best season, 2019.
Coincidentally, the Dodgers’ Ryu Hyun-Jin Ryu and Bellinger will face off on the 14th. Ryu will make his third start since returning from injury against the Cubs on the 14th. It will be interesting to see if he can shut down Bellinger, the No. 1 hitter in the game, and record his first win of the season.