Sports
Cubs Trade Cody Bellinger and Cash to Yankees for Cody Poteet
Cubs Move Bellinger and Cash to Yankees for Cody Poteet
In a blockbuster deal, the Chicago Cubs transferred outfielder-first basemen Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees. Actually, it helped reshuffle the Yankees roster after they had just lost Juan Soto through free agency to the Mets.
The Ivy League club was not only that but also sending cash alongside Bellinger, and in exchange, the Yankees would send the Cub pitcher, right-handed Cody Poteet. The two teams are expected to benefit from the trade in different ways.
Fiscally Trade Aspects
The Cubs will pay the Yankees $5 million of Bellinger’s salary. For 2025, Bellinger will be earning $27.5 million with a $25 million player option for 2026. Of that $27.5 million salary, the Cubs are paying $2.5 million towards Bellinger for this year.
Add to Bellinger an amount of $5 million paid of the Yankees as part of salary. 2025 is going to be worth $27.5 million to Bellinger and a $25 million player option for 2026. For this year, the Cubs will pay $2.5 million of Bellinger’s $27.5 million salary. The other $2.5 million will go toward a buyout in case he does not exercise his player option, or will be applied to the $25 million salary in 2026.
Cody Bellinger’s Performance and Returns
Cody Bellinger is the National League MVP of 2019 at 29 years old. His dad, Clay Bellinger, played for the Yankees from 1999 to 2001. After underperforming for a few seasons, Bellinger stormed back in 2023 with the Cubs and enjoyed a great season in which he hit .266 with 18 homers and 78 RBIs. Then came the signing with the Cubs for three years and $80 million this March.
The Yankees did manage to score Bellinger just at the time the team inked free-agent pitcher Max Fried and traded up for All-Star closer Devin Williams. The unfortunate thing is that all of this happened without being able to keep the World Series attempt from failing against the Los Angeles Dodgers. With everything else in mind, the Yankees are strengthening their team for what they hope will be a better championship opportunity next year.
Bellinger’s great addition to the Yankees lineup is his versatility. He can play center field, which is where he excels, or he can play left field if the Yankees choose to go with rookie Jasson Dominguez in center: Bellinger is also regarded as a highly competent defensive first setter. The Yankees now have options with Anthony Rizzo going into free agency, including the use of Ben Rice or chasing other first basemen like Pete Alonso or Christian Walker.
Bellinger’s Impact in Yankees Lineup
He brings much strength to the Yankees’ batting order, being all power in the middle and with great bat-to-ball abilities when at peak. That made him into something very special because, during his MVP year in 2019, he hit .305 with 47 home runs. Over the course of his entire career, he has hit .259 with 196 home runs to go along with 597 RBIs. In 1,005 games, he has amassed a total of 10,26 visits to the plate.
Why the Cubs Traded Bellinger
The Cubs were looking around for a trade partner to offload Bellinger in their search for salary relief and creating a better team that finished 83-79 this season. They were trying to improve their roster, and this trade was part of their rebuild.
Poteet Cody Performance and Role
Thirty-year-old Cody Poteet was sent to the Cubs by the Yankees for Bellinger. This year, Poteet had pitched four games for the Yankees and had a 2.22 ERA over 24⅓ innings, striking out 16 and walking eight times. Poteet’s three-year Major League career includes a cumulative 3.80 ERA, 69 strikeouts, 35 walks, and 13 home runs given up in 83 innings of work.
Last Trade: Cubs Send Matt Thais to White Sox
On the same date, the Cubs also moved catcher Matt Thais to the Chicago White Sox for some cash considerations.
Both these trades are crucial for both the teams as Cubs build up their roster, while Yankees just add a punch to their already powerful line-up.
