The New York Yankees acquired outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger in a commerce with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, persevering with to top off on high-end expertise within the wake of outfielder Juan Soto‘s free agent defection to the New York Mets.
Chicago additionally despatched money issues to New York, which shipped right-hander Cody Poteet to the Cubs to finish the deal.
Sources informed ESPN that the Yankees will obtain $5 million to offset Bellinger’s wage — he’ll make $27.5 million in 2025 and has a participant possibility for $25 million in 2026. Chicago pays $2.5 million to cowl a part of Bellinger’s $27.5 million wage this season. The remaining $2.5 million will both cowl the contract buyout if Bellinger doesn’t train his participant possibility or go towards his $25 million wage in 2026, in line with a supply.
Bellinger, 29, is the 2019 National League MVP whose father, Clay, performed for the Yankees from 1999 to 2001. Bellinger’s return to type after three substandard seasons got here in 2023 with the Cubs, and he agreed to a three-year, $80 million free agent contract with Chicago in March.
After hitting .266/.325/.426 with 18 residence runs and 78 RBIs this 12 months, Bellinger declined to decide out of the remainder of his deal.
New York’s acquisition of Bellinger follows the free agent signing of left-handed starter Max Fried and the commerce for All-Star nearer Devin Williams. Coming off a World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Yankees have spent the week since Soto’s signing fortifying for one more run.
Bellinger’s versatility matches completely into holes in New York’s lineup. He is an above-average heart fielder and might both play there or in left area if the Yankees want to make use of rookie Jasson Dominguez in heart. Bellinger is also a prime defensive first baseman, and although Anthony Rizzo‘s free company opened the place, New York might go for an in-house possibility in Ben Rice or pursue Pete Alonso or Christian Walker in free company.
At his finest, Bellinger is a middle-of-the-lineup drive whose bat-to-ball abilities ought to assist buttress the lack of Soto. When he received the MVP as a 24-year-old in 2019, Bellinger hit .305/.406/.629 with 47 residence runs. Over his eight-year profession, he has batted .259/.334/.484 with 196 residence runs and 597 RBIs in 1,005 video games.
The Cubs had spent the winter searching for a commerce companion for Bellinger, trying to liberate payroll in hopes of bettering a staff that went 83-79 this 12 months. The groups spent important time haggling over the amount of cash the Cubs would come with in a possible deal.
Ultimately, they settled on the $5 million determine and the 30-year-old Poteet, who began 4 video games for the Yankees this 12 months. In 24⅓ innings, Poteet struck out 16, walked eight and posted a 2.22 ERA. In three main league seasons break up between beginning and relieving, Poteet has a 3.80 ERA with 69 strikeouts, 35 walks and 13 residence runs allowed in 83 innings.
Also Tuesday, the Cubs despatched catcher Matt Thaiss to the Chicago White Sox for money issues.
