Cody Bellinger will be out of the Dodgers’ lineup indefinitely while recovering from a hairline fracture in his left leg. David Zalubowski/Associated Press
SAN DIEGO — Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger has a hairline fracture in his left fibula, Manager Dave Roberts said Friday before the defending World Series champions opened a highly anticipated three-game series against the Padres.
Roberts said Bellinger had a scan Thursday that showed the fracture. The manager said there is no timetable for his return.
“At least we know what Cody’s dealing with,” Roberts said. “Certain players heal differently, so I just don’t know where Cody is going to be at. … I can say comfortably that it’s not a day-to-day thing, so we can kind of just put it on the back burner and let Cody do his rehab and join us hopefully soon.”
Bellinger, the 2019 NL MVP, was injured on April 5 when he was cleated by Athletics pitcher Reymin Guduan on a close play at first base. He was placed on the 10-day injured list the next day and was eligible to be activated on Friday.
PADRES: Star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. was activated from the 10-day injured list in time for the series opener against the Dodgers.
Tatis had been out since suffering a partially dislocated left shoulder while taking a violent swing on April 6.
He was in the starting lineup Friday night and batting second.
THE AVERAGE major league salary dropped 4.8% to just under $4.17 million on Opening Day from the start of the previous full season in 2019.
The average has fallen 6.4% since the start of the 2017 season, when it peaked at $4.45 million, according to a study of major league contracts by The Associated Press. The salary downturn is yet another sign baseball could be headed toward labor strife and a possible work stoppage in 2022.
Baseball’s middle class has borne the brunt of the drop. The median salary – the point at which an equal number of players are above and below – is $1.15 million, down 18% from $1.4 million two years ago and a drop of 30% from the $1.65 million record high at the start of 2015.
Of 902 players on Opening-Day rosters, 417 (62%) had salaries under $1 million, including 316 (35%) under $600,000. The 50 highest-paid players are getting 33.4% of all salaries, up from 28.6% in 2017, and the 100 highest-paid are receiving 52.4%, an increase from 42.5% in 2017.
Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer is the highest-paid player in 2021 at $38 million after agreeing to a $102 million, three-year contract he can terminate after one season. Angels outfielder Mike Trout is second at $37.1 million, followed by Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole ($36 million) and St. Louis third baseman Nolan Arenado ($35 million), who was acquired in an offseason trade with Colorado.
The World Series champion Dodgers topped the major leagues at $241 million, the highest big league total since the Dodgers set the record at $270 million at the start of the 2015 season.
This year’s average was depressed by the Opening-day absence of Houston pitcher Jake Odorizzi, who was left off the initial roster, and infielder Rougned Odor, who had been designated for assignment by Texas and later was traded to the New York Yankees. Their presence on opening day would have increased by average by roughly $24,000, cutting the drop over two years to 4.2%.
Add the money Boston owes second baseman Dustin Pedroia, on the voluntary retired list after missing most of the prior three seasons while hurt, and the average would have been down 3.9% to $4.2 million. Termination pay, option buyouts and portions of signing bonuses paid to released players are not included in the average.
In addition, the average likely was lowered slightly by the expansion of active rosters to 26, which probably caused teams to add 30 players making near the $570,500 minimum.
HALL OF FAME: Tim Mead is quitting as president of Baseball’s Hall of Fame after two years, with the move taking effect in mid-May.
Mead was announced as Hall president on April 30, 2019, and took over that June 24 from Jeff Idelson, who had held the job since 2008.
“I made the recent leap with every intention of following in the footsteps of my predecessors, in continuing their efforts in maintaining the Hall of Fame as a critical component of the game,” Mead said in a statement. “Try as I might, even with the unwavering support of my family, these last 22 months have been challenging in maintaining my responsibilities to them.”
Hall chairman Jane Forbes Clark said the resignation was accepted with “regret,” and “his genuine appreciation for the game’s history … will be greatly missed by us.” The 62-year-old Mead joined the Hall after 40 years with the Angels organization, the last 22 as vice president of communications. He served as assistant general manager from 1994-97.
Copy the Story LinkComments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
