A recent scan revealed that Cody Bellinger has a hairline fracture in his left fibula, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday.
Bellinger has been out since April 5 with what was originally diagnosed as a bruised calf. Roberts said the latest development “hasn’t really changed the course of its timetable,” but was unwilling to speculate on a possible return date.
Earlier, Roberts told MLB Network that Bellinger could return in a week or two.
“I can safely say it’s not run of the mill,” Roberts told reporters before the opening of a weekend series against divisional rival San Diego Padres. “We can just put it on the back burner, let Cody do rehab and hopefully get to us soon.”
Bellinger was injured when Oakland Athletics-reliever Reymin Guduan stepped on his leg in a race to first base in the ninth inning of an eventual skewed victory by the Dodgers. Bellinger limped off the field, but initial tests revealed no structural damage.
Roberts expressed encouragement about Bellinger’s progress earlier this week, but said he recently “went flat,” prompting follow-up investigations.
The course of Bellinger’s rehab, which includes hitting and throwing, will not change because of the hairline fracture, Roberts said, adding, “He’s just going through rehab daily and doing everything he can to get to us as soon as possible.”