Report: Yankees land Bellinger in trade with Cubs
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The New York Yankees have acquired outfielder Cody Bellinger in a trade with the Chicago Cubs, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.
Right-handed reliever Cody Poteet is heading back to the Cubs as the return, Passan reports. The Yankees are also receiving $5 million in cash considerations.
The 29-year-old is under contract for next season at $27.5 million and carries an opt-out for 2026. If he does not exercise it, he will earn $25 million that season.
According to Passan, of the $5 million the Cubs are sending to the Yankees in the trade, $2.5 million will cover his 2025 salary. 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.
Multiple reports indicated the Yankees were eyeing Bellinger after losing out on the Juan Soto sweepstakes. The Cubs were also rumoured to be shopping the former National League MVP after acquiring outfielder Kyle Tucker in a trade with the Houston Astros this past weekend.
Bellinger hit .266 with 18 homers and 78 RBI last season in Chicago. He finished 10th in MVP voting the year before, slashing .307/.356/.525 with 26 homers and 97 runs driven in.
A native of Scottsdale, Ariz., Bellinger is a veteran of eight MLB seasons, six of which he spent with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bellinger won the NL's Rookie of the Year award in 2017, won MVP two years later in 2019 and helped lead the Dodgers to a World Series title in 2020.
However, Bellinger struggled mightily the next two seasons and signed with the Cubs as a free agent on a one-year deal. After his bounce back season in 2023, Bellinger signed a three-year, $80 million deal to return to the Cubs.