The New York Yankees made a big move Tuesday night, securing Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs.
This trade, which had been eagerly awaited since the offseason began, was finalized, giving the Yankees the boost they needed to support reigning MVP Aaron Judge in the lineup.
While some initially speculated that the Yankees might consider Cody Bellinger for first base, reports from Bob Nightengale of USA Today suggest he will be the team’s regular center fielder.
This is a significant move by the Yankees. Although Aaron Judge provided solid defense as the everyday center fielder, the team aims to reduce the physical toll on the superstar slugger. Shifting Judge back to right field, where he is an above-average defender, will improve an outfield that struggled defensively, despite Juan Soto’s offensive contributions.
Bellinger, who started his career as a first baseman, has primarily played center field. In 2024, he logged 794 innings in the outfield (403.2 in center field) and 132.2 innings at first base. The 29-year-old was rated as an average-to-slightly-above-average defender in 2024 based on the Outs Above Average (OAA) metric from Fangraphs.
With Bellinger set to handle center field duties, the Yankees will now focus on finding a first baseman. Several free-agent options, including Christian Walker, Pete Alonso, Paul Goldschmidt, and Carlos Santana, fit the team’s needs. Additionally, they could explore trade possibilities with players like Josh Naylor, Nathaniel Lowe, or Yandy Diaz.