The New York Yankees are set to acquire outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs for Cody Poteet, league sources confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday.
Bellinger becomes the Yankees’ first significant offensive addition since losing Juan Soto to the New York Mets in free agency. In 2024, Bellinger posted a 109 wRC+, hitting 18 home runs and driving in 78 RBIs across 130 games.
Before the Cubs traded for star outfielder Kyle Tucker, Bellinger’s agent, Scott Boras, hinted that Bellinger wouldn’t be caught off guard by a potential trade, thanks to ongoing discussions with Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer. The Cubs were motivated to move Bellinger due to his contract. He’s owed $27.5 million in 2025 and holds a $25 million player option for 2026 before becoming a free agent in 2027. To finalize the trade, the Cubs will send $5 million to the Yankees.
“Jed told us that they have some roster configuration issues that they have examined,” Boras said at the Winter Meetings. “Cody and I have been talking a lot about it. Whenever the player is in this situation, there’s always an expectancy. But we also know that where Cody’s at in his career — where his contract is — he’s going to be going to a very competitive team if it happens. If he stays in Chicago, that’ll be a place where he’s very welcome.”
Bellinger’s 2024 season saw a step back from his 2023 campaign, when he posted a 136 wRC+. His expected advanced metrics more closely aligned with his actual performance in 2024, compared to the previous year when he dramatically outperformed his expected numbers. In 2023, his .370 wOBA was significantly higher than his .327 xwOBA, making him one of the luckiest hitters in baseball by Statcast’s standards. This season, however, his production was more in line with his expected stats, and he was slightly above average overall. There’s a risk his numbers could continue to decline, as he still outperformed his expected metrics by a considerable margin in 2024.
Some of this risk could be mitigated by the fact that Bellinger’s swing is well-suited to Yankee Stadium’s home run-friendly environment for left-handed hitters. Bellinger’s uppercut swing, in particular, could help him increase his home run total by playing half of his games in the Bronx. Statcast projects that if Bellinger had played all of 2024 at Yankee Stadium, he would have hit 24 home runs, compared to just 15 at Wrigley Field. While this doesn’t guarantee a double-digit spike in home runs, it illustrates the potential upside he has in New York.
Bellinger finished in the 89th percentile in pulled fly ball rate, and further optimizing his swing could boost his overall production.
Bellinger also brings valuable positional flexibility to the Yankees, which could ultimately be where most of his value lies. He’s capable of playing any outfield position — which could allow Aaron Judge to move back to right field, a position he’s more comfortable with. This could also open the door for rookie outfielder Jasson Domínguez to shift to center field instead of left field, a position he struggled with after his September call-up.
Bellinger’s versatility also provides manager Aaron Boone with more options. If Domínguez struggles at the plate or in the field, Bellinger could take over in center. Additionally, if Ben Rice emerges as the starting first baseman and faces challenges, Bellinger can step in.
If Bellinger were to play left field or first base, even average offensive production would be a boost for the Yankees. Alex Verdugo had one of the worst offensive seasons in MLB in 2024, and the Yankees posted the lowest OPS at first base. Bellinger should represent a significant improvement.
Defensively, Bellinger’s performance has slipped over the past two years. If he were to play left field and take over for Verdugo, that position would be downgraded defensively; however, with Judge potentially moving to right field and Domínguez shifting to center, the Yankees’ outfield as a whole could see an improvement. Judge, who was among MLB’s worst defensive center fielders in 2024, will benefit from the position change, and Bellinger’s ability to cover multiple spots could solidify the defense.
Additionally, Bellinger is a more effective base runner than both Verdugo and Soto, providing an added dynamic on the basepaths.
The Yankees have made a solid move by acquiring Bellinger, but they will need further reinforcements to fill the void left by Soto’s departure and fully address their offensive needs.
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