Dodgers' Cody Bellinger not trying to 'repeat' MVP season

July 10 (UPI) -- Los Angeles Dodgers star Cody Bellinger said he will not try to "repeat" his 2019 National League MVP season when the shortened 2020 campaign begins July 23.

Bellinger made the comment Thursday when he had a conference call with reporters and the Dodgers had a summer camp workout and intrasquad game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

"I just want to focus in on myself and what I got to do in order to be good," Bellinger said. "I'm understanding that a little more. I'm not trying to repeat last year like everyone says.

"I'm going to go out and be as consistent as I can. Have fun with it and fine-tune the things that I know makes me really good. Remember those and continue to do that all year."

Bellinger, 24, hit .305 with 47 home runs and 115 RBIs in 156 games last season. The two-time All-Star also led the National League with 351 total bases and led Major League Baseball with 21 intentional walks.

Home run and RBI totals will be down in significant fashion this season after MLB shortened the campaign from 162 games to 60 games. Bellinger said he thinks a total of 17 home runs could be "a lot" for any player in 2020. Bellinger hit .370 with 20 home runs in his first 60 games last season.

The Dodgers are scheduled to play in the second game of the 2020 season. They will host the San Francisco Giants at 10:08 p.m. EDT July 23 in Los Angeles. Dodgers president Stan Kasten said in June that he doesn't expect fans to be allowed this season at Dodger Stadium due to the pandemic.

"Everything is going to be so weird this year. It's going to be fun," Bellinger said. "It could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing, so I'm just taking advantage of what we got."