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Cody Bellinger makes first start at first base for Dodgers

Arizona Diamondbacks v Los Angeles Dodgers Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images

Cody Bellinger remains in the Dodgers starting lineup on Tuesday night, but he’s not in left field, where he started his first seven games. Bellinger gets the start at first base in the middle game against the Giants.

First base is nothing new to Bellinger, of course. He has played 282 minor league games at the position and 85% of his defensive innings there.

He took ground balls at the position on the field before batting practice.

“We’ve seen him out there in left field, and he’s a good defender, very athletic. He’s a plus-plus first baseman. That’s somewhere he’s very comfortable,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Cody’s here, and we want to see as much as we can.”

Starting lineups

Pos Giants Pos Dodgers
Pos Giants Pos Dodgers
CF Hernandez CF Hernandez
LF Belt (L) SS Seager (L)
RF Pence 3B Turner
1B Posey LF Gutierrez
3B Arroyo 2B Taylor
SS Nuñez RF Puig
2B Panik (L) C Barnes
C Hundley 1B Bellinger (L)
P Moore (L) P Wood
Time: 7:10 p.m. PT TV: SportsNet LA

But with the return of Franklin Gutierrez to play left field against southpaw Matt Moore, Bellinger is forced to move positions.

Adrian Gonzalez sits against Moore, just like he did last Thursday. Gonzalez is out of the starting lineup for the sixth time in 13 games against a left-handed starting pitcher. In 2016, Gonzalez sat for the sixth time against a lefty on July 31, the Dodgers’ 25th game against a southpaw starter.

Giants roster move

San Francisco made a roster move on Tuesday, one day after their only left-handed reliever — Steven Okert — pitched 1⅔ innings in the series opener.

Fellow southpaw Josh Osich was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento to join the Giants bullpen, while right-hander Chris Stratton was optioned back to Triple-A.