For every New York team, expectations run high in the spring. But for a Yankees squad coming off a trip to the World Series, those expectations are on another level.
That’s exactly the type of environment Cody Bellinger anticipated when he arrived in Tampa. The son of a two-time Yankees champion, Bellinger knows what it takes to succeed in The Bronx—and he sees the same relentless hunger in this clubhouse.
“The thing that I see is the want to be good, the desire to be good in each and every one of us,” Bellinger said Tuesday. “We all want to be excellent, and that goes a long way. We all want to perform to our best capability, and the hunger is there to be great.”
A revamped Yankees roster
Bellinger, who came over in an offseason trade, joins a Yankees team bolstered by key additions like veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, ace starter Max Fried, and dominant reliever Devin Williams. It’s a roster stacked with both experience and unfinished business.
“We’re all excited and we’re all hungry… we’re all fighting for something,” Cody Bellinger said.
For the 29-year-old outfielder, that fight is personal. After struggling in his final two seasons with the Dodgers—hitting .193 with a .611 OPS—Bellinger revived his career in Chicago. Over two seasons with the Cubs, he posted a .286 average, an .815 OPS, and 44 home runs. He credits the turnaround to refining his mechanics and approach at the plate.
“Lost my approach a little bit, lost mechanics a little bit—those are recipes for disaster in this game,” he admitted.
Now, with a fresh start in pinstripes, Bellinger is embracing the Yankees’ analytical input while keeping things simple.
“Hasn’t been too much, it’s been solid, and I think it’s actually gonna benefit me,” he said of the Yankees’ hitting staff.
There’s also the possibility of Cody Bellinger slotting into a prime spot in Aaron Boone’s lineup—potentially taking over the role Juan Soto thrived in last season, hitting ahead of AL MVP Aaron Judge. But Bellinger isn’t concerned with where he’ll bat.
“Wherever they think is the best possibility for the lineup to be the most fluid, the most consistent,” he said. “Two, three, or four, whatever. Doesn’t matter to me.”
Regardless of where he hits, Cody Bellinger’s goal is clear: take another step forward and help the Yankees get back to the Fall Classic. For a team that came so close last season, anything less than a championship won’t be enough.
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