SAN DIEGO — Earlier in the week, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts seemed encouraged by the progress Cody Bellinger was making in his return from a calf injury.
That optimism took a turn in recent days when, Roberts said, Bellinger’s progressed “plateaued.” On Friday, Roberts announced that a recent test showed a hairline fracture in Bellinger’s left fibula.
Roberts claimed he didn’t know Bellinger’s timetable for a return. Earlier in the day, however, Roberts told the league’s television network that he expected Bellinger to miss “another week or two.” The Dodgers hadn’t yet announced the fracture when Roberts made that estimate.
Bellinger traveled with the team for their road trip, but Roberts’ timetable suggests he won’t be activated at least until the Dodgers return home next weekend.
Bellinger sustained the injury April 5 when Oakland Athletics reliever Reymin Guduan stepped on his calf in a race to first base in the ninth inning of a Dodgers blowout win. Bellinger beat Guduan to the bag, but limped off the field.
Roberts said initial tests didn’t reveal any structural damage. The Dodgers waited four days to place him on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to April 6.
