Yankees' Cody Bellinger: Position not yet determined
Rotowire
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday that it has yet to be determined which position Bellinger will play in 2025, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.
It was reported Tuesday when the Bellinger trade went down that the 29-year-old had been told he would be the Yankees' center fielder, but that report was inaccurate. While Bellinger might very well wind up in center field, Boone noted that first base and left field remain possibilities, as well. Where Bellinger ultimately settles in on the diamond will depend largely on what other additions the Yankees make this offseason.
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Yankees' Cody Bellinger: Traded to Yankees
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The Yankees acquired Bellinger and cash considerations from the Cubs on Tuesday in exchange for Cody Poteet, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
The long-rumored deal has finally come to fruition, with the Cubs agreeing to send $5 million to the Yankees to cover part of Bellinger's salary. Bellinger has been told he will play center field, which means Aaron Judge will shift back to right field and Jasson Dominguez will remain in left. Bellinger had an uninspiring .751 OPS with 18 home runs in 2024, but as a left-handed flyball hitter with heavy pull tendencies, he could take advantage of the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Opts in for 2025
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Bellinger exercised his $27.5 million player option for 2025 on Saturday, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN.com reports.
Bellinger was unlikely to receive an offer close to $27.5 million on the open market after posting a .751 OPS alongside 78 RBI across 569 plate appearances in 2024, so it's unsurprising to see him decide to stick around in Chicago. The 29-year-old figures to remain in an everyday role in the Cubs' outfield next season.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Absent from lineup
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Bellinger is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds.
Bellinger will begin Sunday's regular-season finale on the bench as Kevin Alcantara starts in right field and bats eighth. Unless he comes in to pinch hit, Bellinger will end the 2024 regular season with a .266/.325/.426 slash line, nine stolen bases, 18 home runs and 78 RBI across 569 plate appearances.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Drives in four runs Tuesday
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Bellinger went 3-for-5 with a triple, a run scored and four RBI in Tuesday's 10-4 win over the Phillies.
Bellinger recorded his first four-RBI game of the year as he spurred Chicago's offensive attack. The former NL MVP snapped a three-game, 0-for-12 hitless streak with the big effort. For the season, Bellinger is now batting .267 with a .757 OPS and 77 RBI across 127 games.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Getting breather Sunday
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Bellinger is not in the lineup for Sunday's contest against the Nationals.
Bellinger will get his first day off since Aug. 7. The Cubs will go with Mike Tauchman in right field Sunday as they try to secure a series win.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Drives in three Thursday
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Bellinger went 2-for-4 with three RBI in Thursday's 7-6 win over the Nationals.
Bellinger was one of four Chicago hitters with multiple hits, and he paced the team with the three RBI. While the 29-year-old has taken a step back from last season, when he recorded 23 home runs and 97 RBI to go with an .881 OPS, he's still been fairly effective in 2024. Bellinger has 18 long balls this year, and he's now up to 73 RBI and a .767 OPS.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Swats 18th homer
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Bellinger went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Saturday's 6-5 extra-inning loss to the Rockies.
Bellinger is seeing the ball well in September, going 14-for-46 (.304) with four homers and 12 RBI over 12 contests this month. Three of those homers have come over his last five games, a span in which he also has a trio of multi-hit efforts. The 29-year-old is up to a .269/.332/.438 slash line with 18 homers, 69 RBI, 67 runs scored and nine stolen bases across 118 contests in 2024.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Collects three RBI vs. former squad
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Bellinger went 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk, two total runs and three total RBI in a 10-4 win against the Dodgers on Monday.
The Dodger Stadium crowd cheered Bellinger when he came to bat in the first inning, and the former Dodger responded with a two-run blast to right field. He added a run-scoring single in the ninth frame to round out a productive night. Bellinger has collected at least one hit in six of his past seven contests and is slashing .333/.429/.625 with two home runs, five RBI, five runs and a 4:4 BB:K over that stretch.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Launches home run in rout
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Bellinger went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Wednesday's 12-0 win over the Pirates.
While he's batting just .214 over his last 10 games, Bellinger is at least riding a modest four-game hitting streak, which now includes his first multi-hit performance this month. The 29-year-old is up to 15 home runs this season to go along with a .749 OPS. It's a step back from the 26 long balls and .881 OPS Bellinger posted in 2023, though his production has still been serviceable for fantasy managers.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Goes deep in win
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Bellinger went 1-for-3 with a walk and a two-run home run in Friday's 7-6 win over the Nationals.
Bellinger went deep in the second inning with a runner on, giving him 14 home runs and 57 RBI for the season. The 29-year-old had 26 long balls and 97 RBI last year in his first campaign with the Cubs, figures which appear to be out of reach with only 27 games remaining in the 2024 regular season. However, Bellinger has still delivered decent numbers for fantasy managers this year, and he's capable of turning things up during the stretch run.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Pops 13th home run
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Bellinger went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's 7-6, 10-inning win over the Blue Jays.
Bellinger got the scoring started for the Cubs, launching his 13th home run of the season in the first inning with a runner on to make it 2-0. The 29-year-old also played in the outfield for the first time since returning in late July from a fractured middle finger on his left hand. Bellinger started in right but later shifted over to center, and if he starts seeing more regular time in center moving forward, Pete Crow-Armstrong could see his role shrink.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Returning to outfield Friday
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Bellinger will start in right field and bat cleanup in Friday's game against the Blue Jays.
It's Bellinger's first game in the outfield since returning in late July from a fractured middle finger on his left hand, as he has been limited to designated hitter duty until now. With Bellinger in right field, Seiya Suzuki will serve as the Cubs' DH on Friday.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Stays hot in Friday's win
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Bellinger went 3-for-4 with a walk, a two-run home run and a second run scored in Friday's 7-6 win over the White Sox.
The 29-year-old took Garrett Crochet deep in the first inning, helping the Cubs jump out to an early 7-0 lead that the pitching staff nearly fumbled. Bellinger has been locked in since returning from a finger injury in late July, batting .361 (13-for-36) over his last nine games with three homers, eight runs and eight RBI.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Starting Friday
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Bellinger will DH and bat cleanup Friday against the White Sox.
Bellinger missed Wednesday's game against the Twins due to hamstring soreness after awkwardly stepping on first base Tuesday. However, after the team's off day Thursday, Bellinger is back in the lineup for the series opener against the Cubs' Chicago counterpart. The 28-year-old is 5-for-23 with three runs and a pair of RBI in August.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Dealing with hamstring soreness
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Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Bellinger is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Twins due to a sore hamstring, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Bellinger had been relegated to designated-hitter duties over each of the previous eight games following his return from the injured list July 29 while he's still unable to throw at 100 percent as he heals up from a broken middle finger on his left hand. However, it's a different injury that is keeping him on the bench Wednesday. According to Counsell, Bellinger tweaked his hamstring after stepping on first base awkwardly in Tuesday's 7-3 win and hyperextending his knee in the process. The Cubs have a team off day Thursday, and Counsell is hopeful that Bellinger will be good to go for Friday's series opener versus the White Sox after two full days of rest.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Getting afternoon off
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Bellinger is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Twins.
After missing just under three weeks with a fractured middle finger on his left hand, Bellinger returned from the injured list July 29 and has been limited to serving as a designated hitter while starting in each of the previous eight games. Bellinger hasn't experienced any reported setbacks in his recovery from the injury, but he's not yet able to throw at full distance and velocity and could occupy the DH role for a few more games before returning to the outfield. He'll take a seat Wednesday in what amounts to a maintenance day as the Cubs conclude their series with Minnesota with an afternoon contest.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Limited to DH for now
Rotowire
Bellinger is having issues making throws due to lingering effects of a fractured middle finger he sustained July 10, and he won't play in the outfield during the Cubs' three-game series against the Twins that begins Monday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Bellinger doesn't have any restrictions at the plate but will have to give up his spot in the field temporarily in hopes of allowing his finger to recover enough to throw without issue. Bellinger has started at designated hitter in all six appearances since being activated from the injured list last Monday, going 8-for-24 with a pair of home runs during that stretch.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Hot streak continues Thursday
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Bellinger went 2-for-4 with a double, a solo home run and an additional run scored in Thursday's 5-4 win over the Cardinals.
Bellinger was part of a three-run rally for the Cubs in the ninth inning as he connected for his 11th home run of the season to cut his team's deficit to 4-3. Since returning from the injured list Tuesday, the 29-year-old has rattled off three straight multi-hit efforts with two home runs, five runs scored and five RBI.
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Cubs' Cody Bellinger: Stays locked in Wednesday
Rotowire
Bellinger went 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday's 13-4 win over the Reds.
In two games since returning from a finger injury, Bellinger has gone 5-for-9 with a home run and four RBI. The 29-year-old former MVP can heat up in a hurry, and it looks like he could be primed for a big finish to the season. Bellinger's counting stats could also benefit from the addition of Isaac Paredes to the Chicago lineup.
