He hit a solo home run that proved to be the difference in the Chicago Cubs 3-2 win over the Dodgers on Sunday. He stole a home run from Jason Heyward in the Dodgers 2-1 win over the Cubs on Saturday.
The former Dodgers MVP returned to Dodger Stadium with his new team and received a roaring ovation in his first at-bat of the series on Friday. It lasted so long, it cost him a strike for violating the new pitch clock rule.
It didn’t take long for Dodger fans to change their tune in regard to Bellinger.
He hit a home run in the sixth inning, his third of the season, that gave the Cubs a 3-1 lead on Sunday, and gave Dodger fans a dreaded feeling of seller’s remorse.
Bellinger put on an impressive display over the weekend. But it was Patrick Wisdom who turned out to be the real Dodger killer.
He hit three home runs in the series and became one of only three Cubs, joining Dave Kingman and Gary Matthews, to hit three home runs in a series against the Dodgers.
The Dodgers dropped two of three games against the Cubs over the weekend, ended the week going 3-3 and moved into second place in the National League West standings, a game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“Our guys are grinding. They’re fighting,” manager Dave Roberts told the Associated Press after the Dodgers scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday to beat the Cubs. “That’s kind of how we thought about this roster putting it together, so for it to manifest itself tonight, there’s a lot of happy people in there.”
The week started promising for the Dodgers after they won two of three games against the Giants in San Francisco. But the Cubs kept the Dodgers bats in check, holding them to six runs over three games
It’s becoming evidently clear where the Dodgers biggest weakness is: the bullpen.
Dodger relievers are giving up runs at an alarming rate.
Andre Jackson is one of the worst culprits. He has an 8.64 ERA in four appearances out of the bullpen. He gave up five earned runs in two innings in Friday’s 8-2 loss to the Cubs.
Usually reliable Alex Vesia has been anything but, with a 7.71 ERA in six appearances.
Yency Almonte has done no better with a 6.00 ERA in seven appearances.
Even Phillips was tagged for three earned runs in the eighth inning of a 5-0 loss to the Giants on Tuesday.
The Dodgers bullpen has been anything but relieving.
To make matters worse, the Dodgers will be without catcher Will Smith for a few games. He was put on the seven-day injured list after Sunday’s game as he recovers from a concussion. He missed two games against the Cubs and will not be available for the series against the New York Mets that starts on Monday.
The Dodgers acquired Austin Wynns from the Giants to take Smith’s spot on the roster. Wynns played one game for the Giants and went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts against the Kansas City Royals on April 9. The 31-year-old catcher and career minor leaguer played 115 games for the Baltimore Orioles and hit .216 with nine home runs.
He is supposed to start against the Mets on Monday.
Dodger starting pitching power rankings:
- Julio Urias
- Clayton Kershaw
- Michael Grove
- Dustin May
- Noah Syndergaard
The Dodgers (8-8) open a three-game series against the Mets on Monday and travel to Chicago for a four-game weekend series against the Cubs.
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