Call to the pen
Fansided

Dodgers news and notes for the last week of May

By Sarah Maninger

CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 19: Joc Pederson #31, Alex Verdugo #27 and Cody Bellinger #35 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after the final out of the 8-3 win against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on May 19, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 19: Joc Pederson #31, Alex Verdugo #27 and Cody Bellinger #35 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after the final out of the 8-3 win against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on May 19, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 2
Next
MLB Players Power Rankings: Cody Bellinger
(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Is it time to worry about Kenley Jansen?

This season, Jansen has not been perfect but he is far from being a liability in LA. His worst pitch this season turned into a walk-off grand slam to the Padres’ Hunter Renfroe in San Diego earlier this month. Jansen has been consistently strong for the Dodgers for nearly a decade. It isn’t time to worry about him, I hope it never will be. He is not Mariano Rivera, but he could help get this team where they need to go. It worked for Mo, after all.

More from Call to the Pen

The question isn’t Jansen, but rather the bullpen that bridges the gap between the starter and the closer. Pedro Baez has been, arguably, the Dodgers’ best reliever this season. The signing of Joe Kelly has not gone to plan.

Maybe it’s time to bring in another former member of the Red Sox? Craig Kimbrel is still on the market, and there are a ton of teams in need of his services, but the Dodgers just may be able to win him over. A reunion with Kelly, and a real shot another ring could be enough to convince Kimbrel to sign with LA.

The Dodgers might be okay without him, but come October, the bullpen might be the team’s biggest worry. Is it worth the risk?

Go ahead, put Cody Bellinger where he belongs, in the middle of the NL MVP conversation.

Next time you have a moment, mosey on over to ESPN and click on the Dodgers. Check their stats, and you’ll see that Bellinger leads the team in every offensive category; average, home runs, hits, RBI’s, and OBP.  He is playing like it’s his rookie year, but with the added advantage of two more years of experience and two NL pennants under his belt.

Chase Utley was one of the most dynamic players the game has seen in a long time and, after retiring last season, it seems like the Dodgers have studied up on his success. They’re being productive at the plate, hitting well, and taking advantage of the other team’s mistakes.

Cody Bellinger has been right on par with the Brewers’ Christian Yelich all season long. As it stands now, Bellinger’s average is .394, and somehow that seems low for him. Bellinger has real potential to challenge Yelich for this year’s NL MVP.

Next. The Untouchable Kirby Yates. dark

So don’t sleep on Belli, don’t sleep on the Dodgers’ offense. Don’t sleep on the Dodgers, period. They might just win it all.

Home/Los Angeles Dodgers