Cody Bellinger’s miserable 2018 season has now led to a big demotion in the batting order.
The Los Angeles Dodgers decided to move the slumping 22-year-old slugger down to seventh in the lineup for Tuesday’s game with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Today's Dodger lineup at Pirates:
Taylor SS
Muncy 3B
Grandal C
Kemp LF
Pederson CF
Puig RF
Bellinger 1B
Forsythe 2B
Stripling P pic.twitter.com/j0rr5xdj7v— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 5, 2018
Bellinger, who had been batting fourth or fifth in the Dodgers’ lineup for the significant majority of the season so far, has not hit seventh or lower in nearly a year, according to JP Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group.
Cody Bellinger is batting seventh for the first time since June 9, 2017.
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) June 5, 2018
After a breakout rookie season where he hit 39 home runs, made the All-Star team, and won National League Rookie of the Year, Bellinger’s 2018 campaign has been a very different story. He holds a brutal slash line of .225/.298/.413 and has managed just eight home runs and 25 RBIs through 59 games.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated earlier this week that further demotion was not being considered for Bellinger, but it will be interesting to see how the team proceeds if his cold spell continues from the seventh spot.
