When the New York Yankees completed a trade with the Chicago Cubs to acquire Cody Bellinger last December, many people viewed the former MVP as a replacement option for Juan Soto. Those were always going to be enormous shoes to fill, but he nevertheless made a huge impact on this ballclub and is a key reason why the Yanks have a realistic chance at retaining their AL crown this year. Therefore, his health is incredibly important.
Bellinger tweaked his heal in Game 3 of the American League Wild Card Series and could be limited heading into a best-of-five AL Division Series showdown with the Toronto Blue Jays. Yankees manager Aaron Boone is optimistic heading into Game 1, which commences on Saturday at 4:08 p.m. ET.
“Cody Bellinger may be ‘limping around' after dealing with a left heel injury, Aaron Boone said, but ‘I expect him to be good. I expect him to be fast,'” MLB.com's Bryan Hoch reported.
Last postseason, a hampered Freddie Freeman fought through an ankle injury, smashed a walk-off Grand Slam and hit four total home runs en route to winning World Series MVP honors. That instantly legendary performance came at the expense of the Yankees. How fitting would it be if a former Los Angeles Dodgers star limps his way to glory while wearing Pinstripes this year? The Bronx longs for such poetry and Fall Classic redemption. New York cannot look past Toronto, though.
Yankees hope Cody Bellinger can come through vs. a formidable Blue Jays rotation
The Blue Jays earned a 54-27 record in the Rogers Centre during the regular season and feature a battle-tested starting pitching rotation. They can seize momentum early by stifling one of the best offenses in the league. Given that the club could be inclined to walk two-time MVP Aaron Judge in certain situations, the onus will be on Bellinger, among others, to notch a big hit when necessary.
The two-time Silver Slugger has enjoyed a notable campaign with the Yankees, setting himself up for a nice payday this offseason (will likely decline a $25 million player option) after hitting .272 with 29 home runs, 98 RBIs and an .813 OPS. He was also terrific in the outfield and played 150-plus games for the first time since his 2019 MVP season. This heel issue could potentially affect both his offensive and defensive production, giving fans some cause for concern.
Cody Bellinger has endured a considerable amount of injury adversity before, though, and he pushed through and re-established himself as a difference-making player in this sport. No. 35 will try to answer the moment on Saturday night.
