MILWAUKEE — The door to the manager’s office stayed closed long after the game ended Monday night at American Family Field.

When it opened, out came Cody Bellinger, mired in yet another slump and given a seat on the bench by Dave Roberts to “re-set” mentally for a couple of days.

“He’s been – I guess we all use the word grinding a lot,” Roberts said before Tuesday’s game. “When you look back 10 days ago, he was coming out of something and feeling really good. I just see him pressing a little bit. So just to give him a chance to step back, reset and we’ll get him back in there probably Thursday or Friday.

“We had a good conversation and this is more kind of playing the short-term and the long-term view to best serve him.”

The long-term view looking backward shows a three-year offensive slide from his National League MVP season filled with stretches when Bellinger seemed to be “coming out of something” only to regress again. The latest started after his two-homer game against the San Diego Padres a little over a week ago. Since then, Bellinger is 2 for 19 with six strikeouts – and one of the hits (a home run) was with a position player pitching.

“Obviously you’re gonna go through ups and downs,” Bellinger said. “I’ve been seeing the ball well, feeling healthy.

“It just hasn’t been obviously working as well as it was. That’s the game. I think at the end of the day, I’ve just got to focus on winning, and not being so internal sometimes and just try to help this team win any way I can.”

Things were much worse last season, Bellinger acknowledged.

“This year, I’ve felt like I was able to contribute more than last year obviously,” Bellinger said. “Last year, for sure, I was super internal. Not having any fun. This year, I’ve had a lot more fun on the every-day basis.”

The .206 batting average he dragged into Tuesday did represent a 40-point improvement from last season’s miserable offensive showing. But last year’s struggles were often blamed on a series of physical challenges – offseason shoulder surgery, a fracture in his leg, a hamstring injury and a broken rib.

There have been no health issues this season. But good health has not returned Bellinger to anywhere near the 140 OPS-plus player he was during his first four big-league seasons.

“Very surprised. I think we all are,” Roberts said when asked if he was surprised a healthy season hasn’t resulted in a more productive Bellinger. “But … this is where we’re at and how are we going to get out of this? So for me, it’s just not helpful to look at how we got here. I’m trying to figure out how we’re going to move forward with him.

“I think that supporting him in every way – the coaches are working great, he’s all in to put in the work and putting him in a position to have success. But yeah, this game is hard. But he hasn’t run from it. So that’s something I can hang my hat on.”

Roberts also praised Bellinger’s work in center field – “his defense alone has won us a lot of ballgames.” The Dodgers’ big division lead gives them room to absorb Bellinger’s struggles. But Roberts admitted there could come a time when he sees Trayce Thompson or Chris Taylor as a better option than Bellinger when games become more meaningful.

“As we look out, I still expect things to turn. But we’ve got a very good team and guys that aren’t playing every day,” Roberts said.

“If it comes to that, I’ll look at it. But I’m not in that mindset right now.”

DUFFY SETBACK

Scratch left-hander Danny Duffy off the list of injured pitchers who might return to help the Dodgers in the postseason.

The 33-year-old Duffy considered retiring after last season but underwent flexor tendon surgery last November and re-signed with the Dodgers. He had progressed in his recovery to throwing to hitters in live batting practice sessions at Camelback Ranch in Arizona recently. But he suffered a setback when he experienced discomfort after the throwing sessions, according to Roberts.

“I don’t want to write it off right now,” Roberts said of Duffy pitching this season. “I just think it’s pretty unlikely.”

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Duffy’s one-year, $3 million contract includes a club option for 2023 at $7 million.

ALSO

Clayton Kershaw did not travel to Milwaukee with the team. He is continuing his throwing program at home in Texas, then will rejoin the Dodgers when they return to Los Angeles this weekend. The three-time Cy Young Award winner could be ready to start throwing off a mound at some point soon after that. …

Relief pitcher Brusdar Graterol is scheduled to pitch on back-to-back days for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday and Saturday. If all goes well, that would complete his rehab assignment and Graterol would rejoin the Dodgers on Sunday. …

Infielder Rylan Bannon was claimed on waivers by the Atlanta Braves. Bannon was acquired by the Dodgers on waivers from the Baltimore Orioles then was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot Friday.

UP NEXT

Dodgers (RHP Tony Gonsolin, 14-1, 2.24 ERA) at Brewers (LHP Eric Lauer, 8-4, 3.64 ERA), Wednesday, 5:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM