Dodgers Rookie Cody Bellinger Sets Home Run Record

Los Angeles Dodgers rookie outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger belted a pair of home runs for the fifth time this season as the Dodgers beat the New York Mets 10-6 in Los Angeles on June 19th. The homers were numbers 20 and 21 on the season for Bellinger, who is the fastest rookie to reach 21 homers in his career, doing so in just 51 games.

Bellinger now leads the National League with those 21 homers. Not bad considering he didn’t play his first major league game until April 25th, having opened the season at Oklahoma City, the Dodger’s Triple A minor league team. Bellinger is making a welcome contribution to the Dodger’s offense, which has been dealing with injuries to some key players and average or mediocre starts to the season by others. Adrian Gonzalez is on the disabled list, and third baseman Justin Turner served a stint on the DL as well, but is back in the lineup. He was 4 for 4 in the June 19th game, raising his average to .399 in 48 games. After play on June 19th, the Dodgers were a half game behind the Colorado Rockies and a half game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the hyper competitive National League West.