Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger spent most of the season in the starting lineup for one reason only: his elite defense in center. After a decent offensive start to the season, he quickly regressed, and his season OPS never snuck above .700 after late May. Overall on the season, he batted .210 with a .654 OPS.
Of course, Bellinger did end the season pretty well — he batted .325 with an .860 OPS over his final 13 games of the regular season — giving Dodger fans hope that he might have another strong October. And while two games in the NLDS where he’s 1-for-6 with four strikeouts is too soon to say he’s cooked, it is a stark reminder that he had plenty of short spurts during the season that never materialized into the prolonged hot stretch Los Angeles hoped for.