In a 4-0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, Cody Bellinger showcased exactly why the New York Yankees made him a cornerstone of their post-Juan Soto strategy. Playing right field, Bellinger delivered a performance that silenced early doubts about his tenure with the team, blending stellar defense with clutch hitting to propel the Yankees to the win.
The game was scoreless in the top of the fourth when Bellinger made a highlight-reel play, leaping at the right-field wall to rob a potential extra-base hit. He followed that defensive gem with a two-run homer to right-center in the bottom of the inning, giving the Yankees the lead. Later, in the seventh, he added an insurance run with a two-out single through the right side of the infield, finishing the night with three RBIs.
Bellinger’s hot streak at Yankee Stadium is no coincidence. The left-handed slugger, acquired in a trade from the Chicago Cubs, has found a home in the Bronx, where seven of his nine home runs this season have been hit. While the short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium is often credited for boosting lefty power, Bellinger’s homer on Thursday was a no-doubter, showcasing his raw strength rather than relying on the park’s dimensions. “Obviously, you know it’s there,” Bellinger said of the unique outfield layout. “For me, I’ve got to stay within myself and swing my swing. Hopefully, good things will happen.”
And good things have been happening. Bellinger’s early struggles as a Yankee, when his OPS languished below .600 in his first month, are now a distant memory. He attributed his rough start to overzealousness. “First, trying to do too much,” Bellinger admitted. “I had so much excitement. I made the adjustments [and] had good conversations with the hitting coaches.” Those adjustments, both mechanical and in his approach, have paid dividends. Manager Aaron Boone noted that Bellinger was previously chasing pitches outside the strike zone, but now he’s “getting in a good hitting position and making good swing decisions.”
Bellinger’s impact was especially evident in his role protecting Aaron Judge in the lineup. Hitting cleanup behind Judge, Bellinger capitalized on a one-out double by Judge in the fourth, launching his ninth homer of the season off Cleveland’s Slade Cecconi. The Guardians tried to neutralize Judge later, intentionally walking him in the fifth and seventh innings, but Bellinger made them pay. In the fifth, he hit a deep fly ball to center, and in the seventh, he delivered the run-scoring single that sealed the Yankees’ lead.
Hitting coach James Rowson praised Bellinger’s refined approach before Wednesday’s game, saying, “When he’s clicking on all cylinders in terms of his approach, his swing kind of takes care of itself. When I’m in a good spot, I focus on having a good plan and having a good approach at the plate.” That focus was on full display Thursday, as Bellinger’s disciplined plate appearances and powerful swings turned early skepticism into optimism.
Once viewed as a potential misstep in the Yankees’ offseason plans, Bellinger’s 3-RBI night against Cleveland is a reminder of his star potential. With performances like this, he’s not only proving his worth but also making the Yankees’ front office look brilliant for betting on him.