Cody Bellinger Eyeing Home Run Record Through First 50 Career Games

Los Angeles Dodgers rookie first baseman and outfielder Cody Bellinger knocked a 3-2 pitch from Cleveland Indians starter Josh Tomlin over the right-field fence in the fourth inning of Thursday's 12-5 loss.

While his effort wasn't enough to earn the Dodgers a victory Thursday afternoon, it did move him within one home run of Gary Sanchez for the most in a player's first 50 career MLB games, per ESPN Stats & Info. Through 47 tilts, Bellinger has clocked 18 homers thus far, tying him wth Wally Berger for the second most in MLB history.

It took a bit for Bellinger to get acclimated to the majors, starting just 1-for-10 in his first three showings. However, he walked twice in those tilts and has heated up from that point on. The 21-year-old lefty cranked his first two home runs on April 29 and has sporadically added to that total throughout May and June.

Bellinger has been especially locked in at the dish recently, cracking six home runs in the past five games to up his slugging percentage to .624 and his OPS to 1.116 on the season. He's currently serving as the team's everyday first baseman with Adrian Gonzalez on the disabled list due to a herniated disc, which is expected to hold the veteran out for an extended period of time.

When Gonzalez returns, the team will have a difficult decision to make in terms of the everyday lineup. For now, the club will roll with its current alignment, with Bellinger hitting cleanup in each the last two games. He still has three games remaining before reaching 50 total, and they will come at hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark against the Cincinnati Reds. The three-game series opens Friday evening.