As Cody Bellinger moves from Wrigley Field to Yankee Stadium, the former MVP is hoping he can get back into the form of an elite hitter. Of course, the Yankees are also hoping that Juan Soto – who signed with the New York Mets as a free agent – moves into their lineup offensively to fill the void.

Bellinger’s offensive line has fluctuated up and down over the course of his career, peaking at 167 (67% better than the average hitter in terms of OPS+) in his MVP year in 2019 and falling to just 44 (64% worse than average). ) in 2021. He moved back up to elite level in 2023 when he hit .307/.356/.525 with the Cubs in 2023, but he went .266/.325/. 426 back. While no one expects him to be a one-for-one replacement for Soto, Soto slashed .288/.419/.569 with the Yankees last year (67 OPS+ points better than Bellinger).

A massive, well-publicized advantage the Yankees have for left-handed batters is a short frontcourt in right field. The wall there is only 314 feet from home plate.

However, general manager Brian Cashman made an astute observation while speaking to the media, which is that the Yankees actually have that dimension advantage that Bellinger can exploit 87 games: Their own home games, but also six away games against the Tampa Bay Rays, which will be played at the Yankees’ Spring Training home, George M. Steinbrenner Field.

The Rays will temporarily reside there for the season after Hurricane Milton damaged Tropicana Field to the point where it is no longer usable for the 2024 season.

A nice second home for the Americans and Bellinger.