The Yankees are starting to fill their Juan Soto-sized gap within the outfield.
The Bronx Bombers have acquired outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger from the Cubs after being spurned by Soto, The Publish’s Joel Sherman confirmed.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan broke the information.
They’re sending Chicago right-handed reliever Cody Poteet, in alternate for Bellinger and $5 million.
The Cubs, mockingly, landed Yankees goal Kyle Tucker on Friday in a three-for-one commerce.
The Bellinger acquisition is the second commerce in a brief span for the Yankees, who traded for Brewers’ star nearer Devin Williams in alternate for Nestor Cortes and prospect Caleb Durbin on Friday.
With Soto selecting to spend the subsequent 5 to fifteen years in Flushing quite than The Bronx, Yankees common supervisor Brian Cashman and his staff needed to try and offset that loss.
The staff had been linked to first baseman Christian Walker, however that pursuit cooled whereas the staff as a substitute pursued Tucker and Bellinger.
Each match the mould as lefty outfielders, like Soto, with loads of pop.
The Yankees tried for Tucker, however Houston’s ask of AL Rookie of the 12 months Luis Gil in any provide performed an element within the Astros sending him to the north aspect of Chicago.
As a substitute, the Yankees are including a former NL MVP.
Bellinger, 29, revitalized his profession in Chicago after a poor ending with the Dodgers.
The lefty hit .266 with a .751 OPS final season, to associate with 18 homers, 78 RBIs and 9 steals.
He offers multi-position versatility, manning first base and all three outfield spots for the Cubs final 12 months.
That versatility will assist for the reason that Yankees don’t have a set first baseman but, and Bellinger might enable them to pursue each an outfielder and first baseman this winter.
Bellinger is a stable defender, having received a Gold Glove in proper area in 2019.
He had a plus-one outs above common (OAA) worth at first base in 2024 and is plus-29 within the outfield for his profession, per Fangraphs.
He did put up a minus-one ranking as an outfielder final 12 months, although.
Bellinger has two years and $52.5 million remaining on his contract, with a $25 million participant choice for 2026 that may be purchased out for $5 million.
That contract had been a problem in earlier talks, with The Publish reporting Friday that the Yankees needed Chicago to eat a piece of the remaining cash and the groups being greater than $10 million aside.
He has Yankees ties as his father, Clay, performed for the franchise from 1999-2001.
Even with the brand new lefty slugger on board, the Yankees might nonetheless probably use one other bat or two.
The Yankees have been energetic on the pitching aspect, signing Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million deal and including probably the greatest closers within the sport in Williams.
