LOS ANGELES – Cody Bellinger anticipated that he might get emotional in his return to Dodger Stadium.
“But those will be happy tears if they do come,” he said.
The Dodgers played his tribute video before the game Friday, snapshots of his career in Los Angeles, where he once thought he’d spend his whole career, flashing across the video boards. Bellinger raised his hat to the cheering crowd.
“That was probably one the better ones I’ve seen,” Cubs manager David Ross said of the video. “Just lengthy, gave him a lot of love, fans gave him a lot of love. Well deserved.”
Bellinger has been stringent about turning the page on his last three seasons with the Dodgers, a sharp offensive decline from his MVP season that were riddled with injury and the mechanical issues that likely stemmed from compensating from those injuries. He’s even consistently redirected the conversation when asked about those struggles.
How much did it surprise you when the Dodgers non-tendered you in November?
“I don’t want to talk about that right now,” he said before the Cubs’ 8-2 win Friday. “I’ll talk about this series.”
Is this the first time you felt like yourself health-wise in a couple years?
“I just feel really good, man. I really do. I just physically mentally I’m in a pretty good spot.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he wished the organization could have done more to support you in recent years. What were the Dodgers able to do to help you?
“It wasn’t wasn’t terrible. It wasn’t bad at all. Obviously it didn’t end how anyone really expected it to end, but that’s that’s life.”
Even in the last couple years, Bellinger’s defense didn’t decline, and he has already started to win over Cubs fans with his bat. Since snapping an 0-for-11 streak to start the year, Bellinger has two home runs, eight RBI and a .918 OPS in his last nine games.
“The fans are amazing,” Bellinger said. “And they’re extremely welcoming. Playing in Wrigley Field is really special. It’s a really special place. Playing centerfield out there, it’s been real fun. The bleachers are right on top of you, they love baseball, they love the Cubs, and they’ve shown me nothing but love. It’s been a fun start to the year.”
He said the process of turning the page is over.
“When I knew I wasn’t coming back here, it hit me just how many amazing memories that I had,” Bellinger said. My younger self would be really proud of me.”
Bellinger started off his night at the plate with a quick chat with Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes, a longtime teammate, and a rousing ovation from the Dodger faithful. Bellinger stepped out of the box as the cheers swelled, but when he stepped back in, home plate umpire Jim Wolf issued a clock violation.
“Me and Wolf are going to have to have a word tomorrow,” Bellinger quipped. “Nah, I was surprised, but rules are rules I guess at the end of the day. And so once I got dinged, I just locked it in and was just competing from there.”
Said Ross: “I wasn’t happy about that. I think Major League Baseball and umpires do a really nice job of keeping the integrity of the game. We’ve got to find those moments where you’re giving some love to players that the fan base wants to appreciate.”
Bellinger grounded out that first at-bat, but he doubled in his next and scored the go-ahead run in that fourth inning, before the offense surged in the eighth.
“We’ve got a lot of new guys over here,” Bellinger said. “But we’re all blending together really well. And we’re having a really fun time. And I’ve had nothing but fun so far wearing this uniform.”