Dodgers Rookie Cody Bellinger Becomes Fastest Player In History To Reach 21 Home Runs
This motherfucker came out of NOWHERE this year. Dodgers rookie outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger, who’s only 21 years old, was taken in the same draft as Aaron Judge, only three rounds later. Coming into play today, he’s leading the National League in home runs with 21 bombs, two behind the aforementioned Judge for the major league lead.
There’s one important thing to note here, though — Bellinger made his major league debut on April 25, almost a month into the season. So while he’s not yet the major league leader in home runs, he’s certainly the major league leader in averaging a home run once every 9.19 at-bats. Judge is right behind him, averaging a home run once every 10.26 at-bats.
But the most important stat of all to note here is that Bellinger is the fastest player in history to reach 21 home runs. Not the fastest rookie. Not the fastest Dodger. Not the fastest outfielder. Not the fastest 21-year-old. He reached 21 home runs faster than any player ever in baseball history, doing so in 51 games after hitting two home runs against the Mets last night.
Believe it or not, it’s already his FIFTH multi-homer game, and he’s hit a home run in nearly 11% of his at-bats. It’s been a lot of fun to watch, and despite not getting to The Show until the final week of April, the kid is on pace to hit 48 bombs. The most home runs ever by a rookie was 49 by Mark McGwire back in 1987. The league will likely adjust to Bellinger at some point, and the odds are against him challenging McGwire’s rookie record, but what a story that would be if he did.