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Update: April 9, 2:36 p.m. — Bellinger has been placed on the 10-day injured list and is out of the lineup Friday vs. the Washington Nationals. Chris Taylor is taking over in CF for the Dodgers on Friday. Zach McKinstry will enter the outfield in right while AJ Pollock is in left to start the series.
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger hasn’t played since Monday when he was spiked in the left leg by Oakland Athletics pitcher Reymin Guduan as both men converged upon first base. The collision has already caused Bellinger to miss two games and depending on what happens Friday, he might be on the shelf for a larger chunk of time.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has already ruled Bellinger out for Friday’s home opener against the Nationals and said a trip to the injured list is still a possibility.
Dave Roberts said Cody Bellinger won't play in Friday's home opener. The injured list is still a possibility.
— Jorge Castillo (@jorgecastillo) April 7, 2021
He said he expects Mookie Betts will play Friday.
The 2019 NL MVP is 4-for-19 with no homers and two RBI thus far. Bellinger has been pretty durable during his short career; prior to 2021, he sat out only 19 games since being promoted to the majors in April 2017.
Fantasy owners who spent either a late-first or early-second-round pick on Bellinger are obviously hoping for a quick return. The best news, as was announced Tuesday, is that Bellinger’s leg didn’t sustain any structural damage. So, even if he gets placed on the IL, he should be able to return when first eligible. Mookie Betts and Chris Taylor will see most of the time in center field while Bellinger heals up.