Cody Bellinger moved to the Yankees (source)

Cody Bellinger moved to the Yankees (source)

The Yankees have agreed to a trade with the Cubs that brings former National League MVP Cody Bellinger and $5 million to the Bronx, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand on Tuesday afternoon. Neither club has confirmed the deal that would see right guard Cody Poteet move to the Cubs.

Bellinger’s star rose quickly after he made his major league debut with the Dodgers in 2017. That year, he hit 39 home runs with a .933 OPS and won the National League Rookie of the Year award. Two seasons later, he was named NL MVP after hitting .305/.406/.629 with 47 home runs.

TRADE DETAILS
Yankees receive: OF/1B Cody Bellinger, $5 million
Young animals received: RHP Cody Poteet

But in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, his offensive numbers declined, and although he was a hero in the postseason, he suffered a shoulder injury that required offseason surgery. Over the next two seasons, Bellinger struggled to post a .611 OPS and it seemed like his best days might be behind him.

Then Bellinger delivered a big boost after joining the Cubs on a one-year deal. He posted a .307/.356/.525 slash line with 26 home runs and 20 steals in 130 games and won the 2023 NL Comeback Player of the Year award. He then re-signed with Chicago to a three-year, $80 million contract this offseason, hoping to build on his return to form. In 2024, he appeared in 130 games again, but his performance at the plate declined – in 13 more plate appearances than the previous season, he posted an OPS of .751 with 18 home runs.

Over the last few seasons, Bellinger appears to have become a more contact-oriented hitter, as opposed to the power threat he posed earlier in his career. In both 2023 and 2024, the quality of his contact metrics was disappointing. Although he hit a .307 batting average in 2023, his Statcast expected batting average was .268. His expected weighted on-base average was 43 points below his actual value of .370. His shooting percentage was a career-low 31.4%. And aside from the rate of severely affected players (32.9%), these numbers were lower last season.

Still, Bellinger, whose father Clay played 181 games for the Yankees from 1999 to 2001, has a track record that suggests he could be a major contributor both offensively and defensively — he’s a former Gold Glove Award winner in center field , and he can also play solid first base. Bellinger is only 29 years old and is owed $27.5 million for 2025. He has a $25 million player option for 2026 with a $5 million buyout.

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