Cody Bellinger Bombs: Chronicling Dodgers Home Run 73

Dodgers Nation will be writing about ‘Bellinger Bombs’. The Dodgers have one of the best young power hitters in the game under contract for the foreseeable future. Writers like Sam Miller have asked the question ‘What if Cody Bellinger is going to break the all-time home run record’. As the career home runs continue to pile up, we will examine each one in greater detail. We will allow you; the fan, to savor each one as they should be. Because what’s more fun than a home run? (You can look back at the collection here). 

Cody Bellinger has been playing at an MVP level through the first few weeks of the season. So on Saturday night when he hit one deep into the Los Angeles night and rounded the bases once again, no one felt surprised. Perhaps this is going to be one of those special seasons where Bellinger stays locked-in all season long. If it is, we are in for a treat; and a lot more of these columns.

Let’s take a look at the details that comprised Bellinger’s 9th home run of the season. Equally important, Bellinger leads the National League in home runs at the moment.

The Home Run

Bobblehead night or not, @Cody_Bellinger was going to homer anyway. pic.twitter.com/4UvtC7L5VW

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 14, 2019

This long ball was Bellinger’s 37th career dinger at Dodger Stadium, and 53rd against right-handed pitching. His ninth home run as a right-fielder, his fourth against Milwaukee, and his 27th with one out in an inning.

Furthermore, Bellinger moves into 42nd place on the Dodgers’ all-time home run list with 73 career home runs. Indeed, this blast ties him with Rick Monday, and Charlie Neal on the list. Next up? Jim Lefebvre and Willie Crawford.

How Bellinger’s Home Run Impacted the Game

Without question, Bellinger’s home run rallied Los Angeles a little bit on Saturday night. However, it wouldn’t be enough for the second straight night. When Bellinger stepped to the plate with one out in the bottom of the fourth, the Dodgers were down 2-0. At this time, they were a 27 percent win expectancy before the pitch was delivered. After Bellinger’s blast landed in the seats, the lead was cut in half and the Dodgers improved to a 39 percent win expectancy.

While the Dodgers mounted multiple rallies, including one in this inning; they fell short 4-1 to the Brewers. Bellinger’s home run stood up as the lone run of the game for Los Angeles.

The Victim

Zach Davies was a 26th round pick in the 2011 MLB draft and is currently 26-years old. Davies began his career with three really nice seasons for Milwaukee before struggling with consistency and injuries in 2018. Now, he’s off to another nice start for the Brewers in 2019.

For his career, he’s allowed 52 home runs in 472.1 innings in his young career. Davies is 35-25 with a 3.94 ERA in 83 career starts.

Exit Velocity, Distance, Pitch Data, and Angle

#Brewers 2 @ #Dodgers 1 [B4-1o]?Cody Bellinger homers (9): fly ball to RF (solo)

[ 106mph • 409ft • 32°? ]Viz: pic.twitter.com/IlwBPBov3v

— Home Run Tracker (@DingerTracker) April 14, 2019

This was an interesting home run in that Bellinger supplied all of the power, and lifted this ball 409 feet to straight away right field. The pitch was a 74 mile per hour curveball from Davies. You may remember that Bellinger only homered off one curveball in all of 2018.

The ball left the bat at 106 miles per hour exit-velocity, and reached an apex of 105 feet at it’s highest point. Of course, this was a no doubter off the bat.

Overall Bellinger-Bomb Prominence Score

I really liked this home run. It came against a quality pitcher who doesn’t surrender a ton of them – and he had good stuff on this evening. Moreover, it was in front of a home crowd and on Cody Bellinger Bobblehead Night.

Surely, it could have came in a win; but Bellinger cut the lead in half and was the lone run the Dodgers accounted for on the evening. It’s great to see him staying hot.

Dodgers Nation Overall Prominence Score: 8.0