Dodgers fans are feeling some type of way about Cody Bellinger in a different jersey. Do those six seasons mean nothing to you, LA?
Los Angeles Dodgers fans were happy to see former stud Cody Bellinger back in town… but only for a moment.
Fans welcomed Bellinger in his first game back at Dodger Stadium with a titillating standing ovation that caused him to get a pitch clock violation. How sweet, right?
Well, it’s all love and praise until Bellinger makes a play to wound his former franchise.
In the second inning of the Chicago Cubs’ loss to the Dodgers, Jason Heyward launched a pitch to deep center field that looked like it was going to clear the wall until….Bellinger perfectly timed a graceful leap to cradle the ball in his glove, robbing Heyward of the would-be homer.
Had he done that as a Dodger, hearty applause would naturally ensue. This time, Dodgers fans started booing Bellinger instead, marking the end of their reverential relationship with the once-beloved star.
Dodgers fans quickly turned into haters during Cody Bellinger’s first game in LA
In response, Bellinger raised his arms in amusement, as if to say, “What do you expect me to do?”
For the rest of the night, Dodgers fans held nothing back and started jeering at Bellinger whenever he stepped up to the plate or caught another ball.
It’s pretty clear where the fanbase stands now on the Dodgers faithful.
Bellinger spent his first six seasons in LA, winning multiple awards including Rookie of the Year, MVP, and a World Series. His steep decline in the last two years saw him leave the Dodgers and join the Cubs on a generous one-year prove-it deal this past offseason.
So far, Bellinger has indeed been “proving” it. He brings much-needed lefty power in the lineup and, as Friday night’s game revealed, possesses savvy defensive skills to make even the most improbable of catches.
Through 13 games, Bellinger has slashed .245/.321/.408, and he recorded a single, double, and a pair of walks in two games against his former team.
In his 2023 comeback campaign, bridges may have been burned between him and the Dodgers fanbase, but he can hopefully find more supporters over at Wrigley Field. None of this is personal, it’s just baseball.