Cody Bellinger excited to join Yankees, dad's former team
Cody Bellinger called his dad as soon as he could after learning that he was being traded to the New York Yankees -- the same team that the elder Bellinger played for.
"It is truly wild," Cody said on a Zoom call with reporters Thursday. "When I got the news, I called him, and he was very excited. He plays it all cool, but I know deep down he's really excited.
"My parents did a good job of bringing the camcorder around, and back when I was younger in high school or even before that, we would watch home videos. So that's how I remember it a lot through the camcorder, but I still have some very solid memories of it."
Clay Bellinger appeared in 181 games during his three seasons with the Yankees and was a member of their World Series-winning clubs in 1999 and 2000.
Clay and Cody Bellinger will become the fourth father-son duo to play for the Yankees, joining Yogi and Dale Berra, Ron and Ike Davis, and Mark Leiter and Mark Leiter Jr.
Cody Bellinger was acquired Tuesday by the Yankees in a trade that sent pitcher Cody Poteet and cash to the Chicago Cubs. The former National League MVP will replace Juan Soto near the top or in the middle of the Yankees lineup while potentially playing multiple positions.
In a phone conversation with manager Aaron Boone on Wednesday, Bellinger offered up his versatility.
"Whether it's left, center, if [Aaron] Judge gets a DH day, I'll play right," Bellinger said. "Or if you need me at first base, I'll play first. And I enjoy doing that stuff. ... Wherever they need me, I'm available and I like doing it and it excites me."
Last season, Bellinger appeared in 49 games in right field for the Cubs, 48 in center and 22 at first base while batting .266 with 18 home runs.
Wrigley Field played big for hitters in 2024, as Bellinger acknowledged "it was tough" at times, due to the elements. He was asked Thursday if he's looking forward to hitting at Yankees Stadium and its short right field porch.
"Everything about it excites me," he said. "The organization, the fans, the stadium, the atmosphere, and I actually have only played there once, and that was in 2023 and it was a really cool moment.
"You don't want the elements of the field to dictate how you feel, whether it's a cold day or hot day wind's blowing in, wind's blowing out. You kind of want to stay within yourself, stick with your plan, and that's for me just how I stay even keel."
It wasn't long after Bellinger opted in to his contract for 2025 that he realized he was on the trade block. After the Cubs acquired Kyle Tucker from Houston late last week, it ostensibly sealed his fate. Chicago wasn't going to carry his salary along with Tucker's and holdover Seiya Suzuki's. Bellinger is owed $52.5 million over the next two seasons.
"I get it," Bellinger stated. "I get business. I'm very good at separating the business and the baseball, and I'm the baseball player and there's business people in this game, so I just want to prepare and play the best baseball I can play."
Bellinger won the 2019 NL MVP while hitting 47 homers for the Dodgers. Since then, the most he's hit in a single season is 26 for the Cubs in 2023.
But the 29 year-old has become a better overall hitter despite belting fewer home runs. Over the past two seasons, his strikeout rate dropped sharply compared to the previous two years, while his production against left-handed pitchers went up. He was asked if he can get back to being the power hitter that helped him win MVP.
"I know what I can do and I know what I've done, and that's what I strive for every single year," he responded.
Bellinger will have better hitters around him in the Yankees lineup, so between that and the ballpark, there's a good chance his power numbers could go up. He's looking forward to hitting near Judge, the reigning AL MVP, in New York's lineup.
"It's amazing what he does," Bellinger said. "I'll probably chat with Boonie about it later on in spring or maybe we will try some things out through the lineup. I think anywhere Judge hits makes any team better and whoever's hitting in front of him or behind him makes those people better as well."
Bellinger is playing in his third big market after breaking into the majors with the Dodgers and then moving on to the Cubs for two seasons. He's won an MVP and been non-tendered. Now he's joining the most iconic franchise in the sport where his dad called home over two decades ago.
"I've been at the highest stage and at the lowest stage, and I like where I'm at right now," Bellinger said. "This baseball career is so short in your whole life, so the pressure, the moment, you want it and can take advantage of it. That's what I want to be a part of."br/]
