Bellinger out again, eyes return on Thursday

Reigning National League MVP Award winner Cody Bellinger was out of the Dodgers’ lineup for a second straight game on Wednesday because of a right lat injury.

Manager Dave Roberts said Bellinger tried to take some swings on Wednesday, which is how he was injured on Tuesday.

“Cody is going to be down again,” Roberts said. “Still got that lat thing. We’re going to give him another day. The hope is to get him back in there tomorrow. He took swings in the cage today and felt better than yesterday, felt he could have played. But talking to the trainers, Cody himself, just makes sense to give him one more day.”

• The Dodgers are still waiting for Gavin Lux to get on track this season after he was called up to the big league club at the end of August.

“I think in the box he’s a little too passive for me,” Roberts said. “I think not being afraid to swing and miss, being aggressive. He’s working through some things and Gavin will be fine.”

The No. 2-ranked prospect in the game, according to MLB Pipeline, Lux is 2-for-14 with six strikeouts with the Dodgers after arriving late to Summer Camp, being optioned and spending the first month at the alternate training site. With veterans Chris Taylor and Enrique Hernández also in the mix, this promotion for Lux is more to see if he’s ready for a postseason role than the reward it was a year ago, when he was given a starting job after a phenomenal Minor League season.

“With Gavin, giving him a runway to play consistently against right-handed pitching, he deserves it, he needs it and we need to see it,” said Roberts. “It’s not a day-to-day performance thing. I don’t want that in his mind. I want him to go out and have clarity and play baseball. Then we’ll make a decision.”

• Roberts said relievers Pedro Báez (right groin) and Joe Kelly (shoulder inflammation), who are both on the injured list, are on schedule to return by the end of next week. Kelly threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and Báez will throw one on Thursday.

• Dodgers players participating in the club’s NFL Fantasy Draft held a “closest-to-the-pin” contest with a wedge and golf ball in the outfield on Wednesday to determine draft order.