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The union between the New York Yankees and Juan Soto was arranged and only lasted one year, but it was a torrid romance nonetheless. When he decided to jump to the club's supposedly “lesser sibling” earlier in December, tempers flared. But the Yanks are handling the breakup quite well, judging by their active offseason. The front office's latest fireworks come in the form of 2019 MVP Cody Bellinger.
The Yankees completed a long-awaited trade with the Chicago Cubs to acquire the outfielder and first baseman on Tuesday. The latter's desire to rid itself of Bellinger's sizable contract made a deal inevitable, but fans expected a bigger haul to head back to the Windy City. New York is giving up 30-year-old pitcher Cody Poteet in exchange, emitting copious amounts of satisfaction throughout The Bronx.
The right-hander posted a 2.22 ERA in 24 1/3 innings of work last season but was rather pedestrian in his other big-league stints. Additionally, the Cubs will also be paying $5 million of Bellinger's contract across the next two years ($27.5 million in 2025 and a $25 million player option in 2026). Although ownership is taking a gamble on a player who has battled various injury issues in his career, New York's supporters are pleasantly surprised by the trade details.
Yankees fans rejoice after Cody Bellinger is finally acquired
A large part of the fan base feels like the Yankees robbed the Cubbies. “Holy fleece,” @LosSoWavyy posted on X. “Only traded a journey man SP who just cut his teeth in the bigs,” @JoshuaMuench said. “Cody for Cody + $ mil, Yankees won big on this trade!” Others were a bit more blunt in their assessment of the deal. “Wait – we traded a jar of pâté for Bellinger?” @frankcdilorenzo remarked. “Lovely !!”
Don't ever change, Yankees fans. There are no signs of heartbreak or despair, as the pinstripe-induced bravado pushes people right through one of the biggest free agency decisions in MLB history. In all seriousness, however, general manager Brian Cashman is piecing together an intriguing backup plan in the wake of the Soto news.
Since the 26-year-old star slugger signed a record-breaking $765 million contract with the New York Mets, the Yankees have acquired Max Fried, Devin Williams and now Cody Bellinger. There are two World Series titles and six All-Star selections among that collection of talent, which shows just how serious the organization is about staying in championship contention. Still, there are risks.
Will Bellinger be able to stay on the field long enough to make a big impact?
Bellinger, who will presumably slide into center field to make life easier for reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge, missed 32 games in each of the last two seasons. He can also be streaky at the plate, a problem that has afflicted this franchise in the past. The 29-year-old batted .266 with 18 home runs and 78 RBIs while slugging a respectable .426 for Chicago in 2024. Bellinger's Gold Glove days are likely over, but he still has the ability to play solid defense wherever manager Aaron Boone chooses to put him.
While time will tell if the Yankees did indeed “fleece” the Cubs, both teams are clearly moving with purpose. Optimism is high right now, a drastic shift from the shock and disappointment that percolated through 161st Street a little more than a week ago.
“I love you Brian Cashman,” @AndrewMindes1 posted. Given the uncertainty surrounding the corner infield spots, the Yankees may have at least one more bombshell to drop. We'll keep you posted.
