Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger: ‘At the end of the day, I have confidence in myself and believe in myself’

PHOENIX — These have been trying times for Cody Bellinger, to say the least.

If it isn’t the injuries — a fracture in his left fibula, a hamstring strain and now a rib fracture — it’s the flood of strikeouts, pop ups and fly outs that have dragged his batting average and OPS lower and lower.

“It’s my first time I’ve ever dealt with injuries. It happens. It’s been wild, I’m not gonna lie,” Bellinger said Saturday at Chase Field as he began working out in preparation for a return from the rib injury.

“It’s been a grind for sure. It’s not fun. But at the end of the day, I have confidence in myself and believe in myself. … As bad as it’s been, I still feel really good and confident and excited and all that kind of stuff. I’m in a good spot.”

Bellinger is currently on the Injured List with the rib fracture suffered when he collided with Gavin Lux on a play in the outfield during the Dodgers’ game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sept. 13.

“I remember walking back and thinking, ‘Dang, he got me a little bit.’ But I thought the wind got knocked out of me,” Bellinger said. “So the next day I was going to hit early but it kind of hurt. I thought I knew what a broken bone feels like. It hurt but I didn’t think it was broken. During the game with the adrenaline and all that, it didn’t hurt. I don’t know if I did something in the third or fourth game but after that off day in Cincy, I was in pain.

“We got it checked out and it showed a crack.”

Bellinger said the pain has gone from “pretty sharp a week ago or a few days ago” to “dull now — playable, I’d say.” He went through a full workout on the field Saturday and could return as soon as Tuesday.

When he does it will be with some swing adjustments he made in the week or so before suffering the rib injury. Bellinger lowered his hands and spread out his stance — changes he admits he was reluctant to make.

“You have success and it’s hard to change what you’ve had success with,” Bellinger said. “But I realize my body isn’t what it was in the years past because of the (shoulder) surgery and all that stuff — blah blah blah. Had to make an adjustment. I feel shorter. I feel more compact and I felt good. Unfortunately I got hurt right after I did it.

“It’s a game of adjustments. I feel confident right now.”

But Bellinger’s average has been below .200 since the Fourth of July, his OPS under .600 since mid-August. What took so long to make those adjustments?

“I won Rookie of the Year and MVP with the hands up here,” Bellinger said honestly. “But it came to a point where I was, ‘Alright, I’m on my pitch but I’m not hitting it. Let’s make an adjustment.’”

Bellinger will bring a complete new look when he steps in the batter’s box again. He showed up at Chase Field Friday with his long hair shorn to a buzz cut — perhaps a superstitious attempt to change his luck this season?

“I mean, hey, it wasn’t me. Had to be the hair,” Bellinger joked. “Honestly it (his long hair) was getting annoying. Now I feel fresh.”

OUTFIELD LOOK

Chris Taylor was back in the starting lineup Saturday for the first time since Sunday in Cincinnati and only the third time in the Dodgers’ past 12 games. But it was in left field — where he made two outstanding plays in the ninth inning Friday night — not center field.

Gavin Lux stayed in center field. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Lux feels more comfortable there than left field, having played almost all of his career in the middle of the field (second base and shortstop). It also allows Taylor to run a little less as he tries to play through a neck injury.

AJ Pollock was not in the lineup Saturday after starting the previous two games. Pollock is still not fully recovered from the hamstring strain that landed him on the Injured List and Roberts acknowledged he will have manage playing time for both Pollock and Taylor.

“I think that’s what it is — I think it’s managing,” Roberts said. “They’re both valuable to our ballclub, being in there starting or off the bench. but most importantly we’ve got to keep them both healthy. Getting AJ out of games, managing CT’s starts I think will be beneficial. Certainly the way Gavin has played has made things better for all of us.”

UP NEXT

Dodgers (LHP Julio Urias, 18-3, 3.10 ERA) at Diamondbacks (RHP Humberto Mejia, 0-2, 7.20 ERA), Sunday, 1:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM