Cody Bellinger probably needs to be more careful with his home run celebrations during the World Series.
The 2019 NL MVP ripped the go-ahead homer in the seventh inning and then caught the final out of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 4-3 clinching victory in Game 7 of the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves.
Between those two grand memories, Bellinger dislocated his right shoulder and had to have it popped back in after bashing forearms with teammate Kiké Hernandez following his tiebreaking homer against Braves reliever Chris Martin.
“I hit Kiké’s shoulder a little too hard and my shoulder popped out,” Bellinger told MLB Network after the game. “They had to pop it back in so I could play defense. It kinda hurt.
“I’m going to maybe use my left arm (next time). I’ve never dislocated that one.”
Bellinger, the son of former Yankees infielder Clay Bellinger, joined Yogi Berra as the only players in baseball history with multiple go-ahead home runs in the seventh game of a postseason series. He also did so in the 2018 NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The 25-year-old center fielder added it wasn’t the first time he popped out his shoulder but insisted he’ll be good to go when the World Series begins Tuesday night against the AL champion Tampa Bay Rays.
“Now, Belly knows not to mess with people who are way stronger than him,” Hernandez joked after the game.