| USA TODAY
Should World Series winner receive an asterisk?
SportsPulse: With a shortened season and an unconventional playoff structure, should the Rays or Dodgers get an asterisk in the record books if they win the World Series?
ARLINGTON, Texas – Cody Bellinger powered up, and then played footsies.
The Dodgers center fielder ended the National League Championship Series with a go-ahead home run in Game 7, and then kick-started Game 1 of the World Series with a two-run home run to break a scoreless tie with the Tampa Bay Rays in the fourth inning Tuesday night.
In between, he suffered a shoulder dislocation celebrating his Game 7 blast, a forearm bash shared with teammate Kike’ Hernandez jarring his right shoulder out of place for the umpteenth time in his athletic career.
Bellinger had the medical team ease it back into place so he could finish Game 7, and he was fitted with a brace, he said Monday.
So when he turned around a 98-mph Tyler Glasnow fastball in Game 1, depositing it into the Dodger bullpen, Bellinger circled the bases and pointed toward the ground.
Then, he tapped toes with every teammate in his path, preserving his shoulder and also his dignity (Hey, it looked cool).
It was the eighth career postseason home run for the 2019 NL MVP who’s playing in his third World Series at the age of 25.
And it was probably his first playoff longball featuring an entirely ground-bound celebration.
