NEW YORK — After a long winter waltz between the Yankees and free agent Cody Bellinger, the two sides have agreed on a new contract.
Bellinger, a versatile left-handed outfielder and a major offseason target for the Yankees, returns to the Bronx after a successful first season in pinstripes.
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By signing the 30-year-old Bellinger, the Yankees met an offseason need to bolster the middle of the order and provide better protection for slugger captain Aaron Judge.
This is a deeper lineup for the Yankees, essentially a carbon copy of their 2025 second-half batting order.
Last year, the Yankees led the majors in runs scored (849), home runs (274) and OPS+ (118), giving the team a 94-win record and losing free-agent superstar outfielder Juan Soto to the Mets.
March 27, 2025; Bronx, New York, United States; New York Yankees center fielder Cody Bellinger (35) hits a ball during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
However, due to the Blue Jays’ excellent head-to-head record, the Yankees finished second behind the American League East champion Toronto and eventually lost to Toronto in the four-game Division Series.
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Bellinger expressed a desire to return to the Yankees before declining his $25 million player option for 2026 and opting to become a free agent.
“We all play for each other,” Bellinger said in October. “It’s just a lot of fun to be on this team. Not playing well, that part definitely sucks because we have a really, really good team here.”
Bellinger, who will likely be the Yankees’ Opening Day left fielder and possible No. 3 hitter (he can also play first base), batted .272 (.813 OPS) with 29 home runs, 98 RBIs and 13 stolen bases (15 at-bats) in 152 games last season.
As a key part of the team’s plans to lose Soto in December 2024, the Yankees acquired Bellinger in a trade with the Chicago Cubs that was essentially a salary dump from the Chicago Cubs, who acquired pitcher Cody Poteet.
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The 2017 NL Rookie of the Year, the 2019 NL MVP and a key player on the 2020 World Championship team – all with the Los Angeles Dodgers – Bellinger’s shoulder injury derailed his career and ultimately led to his undrafting after the 2022 season.
Bellinger’s 13.7% strikeout rate was the lowest of his career, and he still hit the ball. In 176 games against left-handed pitching, he had 353 runs scored (1.016 OPS) and produced a .909 OPS at Yankee Stadium.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Cody Bellinger in trade with Yankees
