Most fans of the New York Yankees are satisfied with their team's start to the 2025 season. Establishing an early lead in the AL East without the services of ace Gerrit Cole is a nice accomplishment for manager Aaron Boone and his coaching staff. but the ugly truth is that the Yankees would be in an even stronger position if they were getting their money's worth out of Cody Bellinger's bloated contract.
The organization knew he was going to struggle to live up to his $27.5 million salary when they made the decision to acquire him this winter. That's one of the reasons the Cubs were willing to let him go.
That does not mean GM Brian Cashman and his staff are satisfied with what they've gotten out of the 29-year old outfielder through his first 39 games in pinstripes. He has not been an abject disaster, but he's been the weakest member of New York's outfield by a wide margin.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.
Yankees need Cody Bellinger's bat to warm up
Bellinger has a positive WAR of 0.5 on the year but his .229 batting average is a major disappointment. His weak batting average is further compounded by his inability to supplment his production with walks. Bellinger's OBP of just .299 accurately illustrates just how much he's struggled at the plate.
The veteran's five home runs do help prop up his offensive value but it's not enough to justify a regular place in the Yankees' lineup. As a result, Bellinger is a good bet to lose at-bats to the likes of Trent Grisham and Jasson Dominguez as the season progresses. GIancarlo Stanton's potential return to take at-bats at designated hitter could minimize Bellinger's role to a degree that might surprise a lot of Yankees fans.
Of course, Bellinger can change the math if he starts to boost his offensive production. He continues to get at-bats in the heart of New York's order; as such, he should continue to see good pitches to hit as opposing hurlers try to stay away from Aaron Judge.
Time is ticking on Bellinger to turn things around. He only has one additional season left on his current contract, which makes him a player that New York could move on from in the offseason. If he wants to lock up his long-term future in the Bronx, he'll need to offer more production at the plate before he's squeezed out of the lineup.