Heat on Dodgers' Cody Bellinger to deliver in postseason

Cody Bellinger burst on the MLB scene in 2017, launching 37 homers, making the all-star team and earning NL Rookie of the Year. After slumping in 2018, slugging 100 points lower and driving in 21 fewer runs, the Dodgers' right fielder bounced back in a big way this season for the National League's best team.

But now comes the hard part for Bellinger and the Dodgers. Los Angeles has lost back-to-back World Series, to Houston in 2017 and last October to the Boston Red Sox's juggernaut. Anything short of a championship is going to be a massive disappointment for the organization.

Anything short of a great performance by Bellinger in the postseason will be a huge disappointment, too.

The slugger seems primed to make an October impression. The Dodgers opened their defense of their NL title in the best-of-five Division Series with a 6-0 win against Washington on Thursday. Bellinger went 0-for-2 with two walks.

Playing in nearly every game during the regular season, the left-handed-hitting Bellinger hit .305 with 47 homers and 115 RBI. He doubled 34 times, stole 15 bases, racked up an NL-high 350 total bases. His OPS was 1.035., third in MLB behind the Angels' Mike Trout and Brewers' Christian Yelich. 

So what changed over the winter?

Bellinger moved up in the batter's box, allowing him to more easily hit outside pitches. He's seeing the ball better and showing significantly improved plate discipline, as evidenced by his 116 walks and career-low 108 strikeouts.

Bellinger's offensive renaissance has overshadowed the fact that the longtime first baseman has made a seamless transition into an everyday outfield role. In right field, Bellinger displayed more athleticism than his frame would lead you to believe, and his elite arm prevented runners from taking extra bases. Just look at this throw he made against the Mets in May. His rebound has made him the probable NL MVP over two-way players Yelich and Anthony Rendon of the Nationals.

But conquering the postseason has been an elusive endeavor for the second-generation major leaguer.

Two years ago, at the tail end of his dominant rookie campaign, Bellinger appeared to tire down the stretch and into October. In the Dodgers' 15 postseason contests, he hit only .219/.254/.453 in 64 at-bats. Although he homered three times -- including once in the World Series off Collin McHugh -- he was not as productive offensively as he was during the season. The uptick in pitching during the playoffs proved difficult for Bellinger to handle, and he struck out 29 times.

Last fall, Bellinger seemed to be trying to do too much, perhaps an effort to make up for a lackluster regular season. The results were disastrous. In 52 post-season at-bats, Bellinger had only six hits, a .115 average, with a .193 on-base percentage. Five of the hits came in the NLCS against Milwaukee; in the Dodgers' other two series he was essentially a no-show. He even found himself on the bench in World Series games against Boston ace Chris Sale.

This season, the Dodgers and Bellinger both desperately need the narrative to be different. Los Angeles is loaded with stars, including Justin Turner, Corey Seager, Max Muncy, Joc Pederson, Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Walker Buehler and Kenley Jansen. But it has become evident over the past six months that Bellinger has emerged as the brightest. 

Los Angeles, which won the NL West by an absurd 21 games, has not played a meaningful game in months, so the Dodgers must flip the switch against a dangerous Nationals team with elite pitching. How Bellinger goes could determine how their offense goes.

A dominant October that culminates in a World Series title would cement Bellinger as a hero in Los Angeles. It would also aid his national marketability, perhaps making him a face of the game along with Trout.

If Bellinger has a third straight lackluster showing on the national stage, he could be compared to Kershaw: outstanding player but a bust in the postseason. If the Dodgers make an early October exit, the team will be branded underachievers. That's a label no team -- or player -- wants.