How the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup should look in 2018

4. Cody Bellinger — 1B

I was torn with this one. Heading into the 2018 season, Cody Bellinger has more than earned the clean-up spot. Bellinger has the best power-hitting bat on the team with 40 home run capability. With a batting average not too south of .300, Bellinger is a powerful, yet reliable, option for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the four hole.

However, the 2017 World Series was a huge telling tale of Cody Bellinger’s strengths and weaknesses. The fact of the matter is that Bellinger struggles immensely with a good, big league, curveball. Granted, Bellinger was just a rookie and was playing on the biggest stage possible; however, his strikeout troubles should be concerning moving forward.

In fact, when pitchers began to figure Bellinger out he began to seem all the more human. His power numbers began to dive late in the season and he was unable to put together a resurgence similar to Aaron Judge. By the time the season was over, Bellinger was no longer the terrifying bat that he was in the summer.

As opposing pitchers get better though so will Bellinger. Thus, the Dodgers should have all the confidence in the world to give Bellinger clean-up duties. However, if he does begin to falter early, the Dodgers cannot be too hesitant in moving him down in the lineup to get him back into the swing of things.

Dodger fans do not want another Joc Pederson on their hands. While Bellinger will hopefully not strike out that often, it is a possibility if changes are not made.