GLENDALE, Ariz. — There are few things more meaningless than spring training stats. But 14 strikeouts in 19 at-bats will get your attention at any time of the year.

Coming off his dreadful 2021, Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger has proclaimed himself healthy and stronger, having put a full offseason’s work between him and his November 2020 shoulder surgery.

So far the results have not shown it.

“I don’t think there’s a spin to that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “The bottom line is Cody is still working through getting calibrated, getting his timing down. Fortunately the stats don’t matter. But his work has been consistent. I expect him to be ready for the season.”

Bellinger has already abandoned the swing changes he made late last season. Spreading out more at the plate, choking up and moving his hands away from his shoulders, Bellinger hit .353 (12 for 34) during their postseason run last fall.

But Bellinger has stopped choking up and moved his bat to its former horizontal position over his shoulder. The change was prompted by the greater strength in his shoulder, Bellinger said, and the better barrel angle it creates on the way to contact.

“I think the stance, the approach he feels very comfortable about,” Roberts said. “I think there’s some things with timing that … all hitters go through it whether it’s early in spring, at the beginning of the season, middle of the season, end of the season. There’s always things where you’ve got to get the timing down. Everything goes from there. Right now, it’s clear that he’s just off a bit with the timing.”

Roberts’ remarks came before the Dodgers played the Kansas City Royals Saturday night. Bellinger went 0 for 4 without putting a ball in play and has struck out in his past nine at-bats now.

“Tonight … it wasn’t good,” Roberts said after the game. “Tonight was the first night I felt things sped up on him. … We’ve just got to go back to work and keep grinding.”

With the stench of last year’s .165 average and .542 OPS still lingering, Bellinger could use some positive results this spring to provide some fresh air.

“I think so. I do. Yeah,” Roberts said before Saturday’s game. “I can tell him how good he is, how much confidence I have in the player. But results kind of validate the conversations we have and if a player doesn’t get them, it’s hard to really trust them.

“So at the end of the day … the performance is up to Cody and it’s our job as coaches to create the environment and the work to allow him to succeed. But at the end of the day, he’s the one in the batter’s box. He knows that. And he’s got to produce. He’s a big part of what we want to do this year. He’s a big part of it. And he knows that.”

The 2021 season was fraught with peril for Bellinger, to say the least. It started with the surgically-repaired shoulder and only got more difficult with a hairline fracture in his leg and trips to the Injured List for a hamstring injury and a rib fracture.

“It was a grind last year to say the least,” Bellinger said early in camp. “But that’s in the past. I’m looking forward to this season.

“You learn as you go. It’s been a huge learning curve the past few years. But I’m focused on where I’m at now.”

BIG STEP

Reliever Tommy Kahnle faced hitters in a one-inning live batting practice situation Saturday afternoon. It was Kahnle’s first time facing hitters since Tommy John surgery in August 2020 and a significant step in his recovery.

“It’s a big step,” Roberts agreed. “Tommy obviously looks great, coming back from the injury. I know it’s a big day for him, facing hitters. Once he can get through this and pass this test essentially we can hopefully get him into games.”

Kahnle will throw at least one more bullpen session before pitching in a Cactus League game.

RING CEREMONY

In a first-person article on MLB.com, Freddie Freeman said that Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos gave him the option of receiving his 2021 World Series ring during the Braves’ series in Los Angeles (April 18-20) or when the Dodgers visit Atlanta June 24-26.

Freeman chose the series in Atlanta so that he can get his ring “in front of my former teammates, coaches and fan base that provided me incredible support over the past decade.”

ALSO

The Dodgers trimmed their roster Saturday, sending right-handers Michael Grove, Carson Fulmer, Ryan Pepiot and Michael Wright to minor-league camp. That leaves 47 players in the major-league camp. …

Walker Buehler will pitch in a ‘B’ game on the minor-league fields Sunday instead of the Cactus League game against the Chicago White Sox.