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Cody Bellinger is finally headed to New York. After years of the former MVP being linked to the New York Yankees, Bellinger has been traded from the Chicago Cubs to the Yankees in a big move.
Bellinger getting traded is not especially surprising. Rumors picked up steam after the Cubs acquired Kyle Tucker, who is also an outfielder, from the Houston Astros. The Cubs' trade return may surprise some people, though.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Bellinger and cash are headed to New York while right-handed reliever Cody Poteet is on his way to Chicago. Passan also provided a breakdown of the cash being sent to the Yankees.
“Of the $5 million the Cubs are sending to the Yankees in the Cody Bellinger trade, $2.5 million will cover his 2025 salary, per source. The remaining $2.5 million will either cover the buyout if he doesn't exercise his player option for 2026 or Bellinger's 2026 salary if he does,” Passan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
So who won this trade? Or did both teams fare well in the deal?
Cubs' trade return
The Cubs are set to acquire reliever Cody Poteet once the deal becomes official. They also are sending $5 million to New York, and Bellinger is set to make over $27 million during the 2025 season. He also has a $25 million player option for 2026.
Beyond the financial element of the situation, Poteet, a 30-year-old reliever, will join the bullpen. He has only pitched in a total of 24 games.
Poteet began his MLB career as a starting pitcher with the Miami Marlins but has spent time as both a starter and reliever in recent seasons. In 2024, Poteet made four starts in five total appearances with the Yankees and pitched to a strong 2.22 ERA.
He could end up playing a big role for the Cubs.
Yankees land Cody Bellinger
Bellinger is preparing to join the team that his father, Clay, spent three seasons with in the big leagues. As mentioned earlier, Yankees-Bellinger rumors have swirled for quite some time. Sure enough, the Yankees ultimately acquired the left-handed slugger.
Cody Bellinger did not have his best season in 2024. He slashed .266/.325/.426 across 130 games played. Bellinger added 18 home runs, 78 RBIs and nine stolen bases.
In 2023, though, Bellinger enjoyed a strong first season in Chicago. He recorded a 20-20 season, hitting 26 home runs and stealing 20 bases. Bellinger recorded a stellar .881 OPS as well.
Although Bellinger's best seasons came with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he still offers an intriguing ceiling. The Yankees may need to dish out some extra money if Bellinger opts into his 2026 option or if New York decides to sign him to a contract extension, but Bellinger features game-changing talent when he's playing at his best.
The Yankees lost Juan Soto to the New York Mets in free agency, but they have been extremely aggressive since. They signed Max Fried before acquiring Devin Williams and now Cody Bellinger in trades.
Grading the trade
The Yankees want to compete in 2024. The Mets signed Soto to a $765 million contract, so the Yankees, who were saving up to sign Soto, can now spend that money elsewhere. Bellinger comes with some risk given his recent inconsistent performance and injury history, but the reward is worth it.
For the Cubs, they are able to save some money while acquiring a pitcher with potential. Sure, Cubs fans probably think the team could have received more players in the deal. If Chicago uses the extra money to add talent, though, then the team could be all right.
In the end, it is difficult to argue against this trade for the Yankees. The Cubs, meanwhile, accomplished their goal of moving on from Bellinger's contract, but their inability to acquire any prospects in the trade is questionable.
Yankees trade grade: A
Cubs trade grade: C+
