Even as the 2022 MLB regular season is just mere weeks old, Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger has already emerged as a stern contender for the league’s Comeback Player of the Year honor.

Bellinger was a standout performer in the Dodgers’ series finale against the San Diego Padres on Sunday. He belted a pair of home runs and logged four RBI en route to playing a vital role in the Dodgers' 10-2 win over their NL West rival.

Clayton Kershaw has had a front-row seat to watch the highs and lows of Bellinger’s career as of late. From undergoing shoulder surgery in Nov. 2020 to his sluggish 2021 regular season, not much went for him in the past couple of years.

Now, Bellinger is off to a promising start to the 2022 campaign, which Kershaw is much pleased to see.

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“I just think about the guy more than anything,” Kershaw said after the Dodgers’ Sunday game against the Padres. “We all see him every day grinding, good or bad to try and figure it out. Coming off the shoulder surgery and all those things is a challenge for anybody and he grinded through, didn’t say anything about it.

“Coming into this year, we all had high hopes for him, but for him to do what he is doing right now is awesome.”

Last season, it took Bellinger until July to reach four home runs recorded. He has already slugged four home runs through 15 games played this year.

For now, a three-game road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks awaits the Dodgers up next.