Dodgers couldn't make Cody Bellinger a star again. 'Sometimes you just don't have any answers.'
LOS ANGELES — There was a rapid rise, then a sudden descent.
An instant flash of talent, followed by a fizzle that left the baseball world scratching its head.
For his first three years in a Dodgers uniform, Cody Bellinger was one of the best stories in the majors. A homegrown prospect who blossomed as an MVP-winning superstar. A Chavez Ravine favorite among both the fan base and the clubhouse.
Over his final three seasons with the club, however, Bellinger transformed into one of the sport's biggest conundrums. An injury-plagued slugger struggling to hit for power. A once-feared presence who, amid a string of constant swing changes, was never able to rediscover his former self.
"It's one of the more dramatic swings that I've ever been a part of," Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said.
"I wish we could have done more to support him and get some more consistency for him," manager Dave Roberts added. "But sometimes you just don't have any answers."
For the first time since the Dodgers non-tendered him this offseason, Bellinger returns to Dodger Stadium with the Chicago Cubs this weekend.
People within the organization speak highly of the 27-year-old outfielder.
