<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-yankees/mistrettas-musings-yankees-cody-bellinger-aaron-judge-2025-al-mvp');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mistretta’s Musings: Yankees’ Cody Bellinger will challenge Aaron Judge for 2025 AL MVP');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Why-Yankees-Cody-Bellinger-will-challenge-Aaron-Judge-for-2025-AL-MVP.jpg"></figure><h1>Mistretta’s Musings: Yankees’ Cody Bellinger will challenge Aaron Judge for 2025 AL MVP</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-31T07:24:54-07:00">March 31st, 7:24am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-31T07:24:54-07:00">March 31st, 7:24am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Hello MLB and New York Yankees fans! Welcome to the latest edition of Mistretta’s Musings. Yankees fans, before making me public enemy No. 1 for even suggesting that someone can challenge Aaron Judge for the 2025 American League MVP Award, the fact that a Yankees player is being selected for this honor is a positive for the team. As for MLB fans who are probably thinking I am overreacting to a strong first series, well, let’s take a deep dive into why Cody Bellinger is poised for a huge ’25 campaign in New York.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/yankees-news-aaron-judge-wins-2nd-al-mvp-award-dominant-season">Judge earned the 2024 American League MVP Award</a>. In all reality, Judge will make another MVP run in 2025 as long as he can stay healthy. We aren’t here to question Judge’s MVP chances, rather, we are simply discussing how Bellinger is the perfect fit with the Yankees.</p><p>Baseball fans are probably taking to social media right now to scream the following in all capital letters: “WHAT ABOUT BOBBY WITT JR.?”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/yankees-news-aaron-judge-al-mvp-repeat-bobby-witt-jr-poll">Witt can certainly make an MVP run</a> as well. He was a popular preseason AL MVP pick. The Kansas City Royals shortstop has become one of the best players in the sport.</p><p>How can Bellinger join Judge and Witt in the AL MVP voting?</p><h2><b>Cody Bellinger is the perfect fit with Yankees</b></h2><p>My Bellinger MVP consideration prediction isn’t strictly an overreaction to his scorching hot first series against the Milwaukee Brewers. Sure, his .400/.357/.700/1.057 slash line is intriguing, but it has only been three games.</p><p>It seems as if Bellinger is going to hit second in front of Judge, something that will lead to a quality dose of good pitches to crush. Bellinger is going to see some of the best pitches to hit in his career batting in front of the reigning AL MVP. There isn’t a pitcher in baseball who wants to risk walking Bellinger and putting a runner on base with Judge waiting in the on-deck circle.</p><p>Bellinger, a former MVP himself (2019), also offers speed and defense, two things the Yankees have desperately needed in past seasons. No, he isn’t going to win a stolen base title, but Bellinger has swiped 14 or more bases in four separate years during his career. The Yankees may want him to try to steal more bases in an effort to consistently get into scoring position.</p><p>Meanwhile, Bellinger can play any outfield position (as well as first base if necessary). If he continues to play left field, he could receive Gold Glove consideration. The 29-year-old has won a Gold Glove before, accomplishing the feat in 2019.</p><h2><b>Bellinger’s potential MVP case</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Cody-Bellinger-hits-an-RBI-single.jpg"><figcaption>Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Being a good fit with a team and earning MVP votes do not always go together. In this scenario, however, they very well could.</p><p>It goes without saying, but Bellinger will need to stay healthy in order to earn serious consideration for the award. If he can stay healthy, Bellinger’s ceiling remains high. He isn’t even 30 years old and features the potential of an MVP.</p><p>Say Bellinger appears in 140 games. Hitting in front of Judge — not to mention the short right field fence at Yankee Stadium — Bellinger can realistically hit 30-35 home runs. He also hit over .300 as recently as 2023, when he recorded a .307 batting average to go along with an .881 OPS with the Chicago Cubs.</p><p>If Cody Bellinger is able to hit around .300 with an OPS around .900 while slugging 30-35 home runs he will earn some MVP votes. However, if Bellinger can impact the game in multiple ways — stealing 15-20 bases while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense — his MVP chances will become even more interesting.</p><p>In the end, Aaron Judge or Bobby Witt Jr. will probably take home AL MVP honors. The possibility of Cody Bellinger finishing as an AL MVP finalist alongside Judge and Witt should not be ruled out, though. And if Bellinger does enjoy an MVP-caliber campaign, one has to imagine the Yankees will find themselves in contention to win another American League East division title.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mistretta’s Musings: Yankees’ Cody Bellinger will challenge Aaron Judge for 2025 AL MVP

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-orioles-trade-for-cubs-pitcher-acquired-cody-bellinger-deal');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles trade for Cubs pitcher acquired in Cody Bellinger deal');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Orioles-news-Baltimore-trades-for-Cubs-pitcher-acquired-in-Cody-Bellinger-deal.jpg"></figure><h1>Orioles trade for Cubs pitcher acquired in Cody Bellinger deal</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-29T21:32:03-07:00">March 29th, 9:32pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-29T21:32:03-07:00">March 29th, 9:32pm</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He's a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic. In addition to sports writing, he works for Arizona Football in the Player Personnel and Recruiting department and formerly served as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/orioles-news-orioles-ink-2021-all-star-pitcher-1-year-deal">Baltimore Orioles added pitching depth</a> on Saturday, acquiring right-hander Cody Poteet from the Chicago Cubs <a href="https://x.com/BNightengale/status/1906083530012229704" rel="noopener">in exchange for cash considerations</a>. The 30-year-old was designated for assignment by the Cubs just days earlier to make room for Brad Keller on the 40-man roster. Poteet will report to Triple-A Norfolk, and the Orioles’ 40-man roster now stands at 39.</p><p>Though a low-profile transaction, the trade adds meaningful depth to an Orioles pitching staff currently dealing with a string of injuries. Baltimore is without Grayson Rodriguez, Trevor Rogers, Chayce McDermott, Kyle Bradish, and Tyler Wells—all key rotation arms—making Poteet a timely addition.</p><p>Originally a fourth-round pick by the Marlins in 2015, Poteet debuted with Miami in 2021. His initial stint in the majors as a starter was uneven, producing a 4.99 ERA over seven starts. But in a swingman role in 2022, he improved, posting a 3.86 ERA in 28 innings across 12 appearances before undergoing Tommy John surgery late that year.</p><p>After missing most of 2023 while rehabbing, Poteet signed with the Yankees and quietly impressed in limited duty. He logged a 2.22 ERA over 24 1/3 innings in 2024, and a 3.40 ERA in 13 Triple-A starts, flashing promise as a depth piece.</p><h2><b>Orioles continue to add depth as the 2025 season is in full swing</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Cody-Poteet.jpg"><figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>In December, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cubs-next-big-move-must-make-with-money-freed-up-from-cody-bellinger-trade">Poteet was part of the trade that sent Cody Bellinger to the Yankees</a>. That deal, largely seen as a salary dump by the Cubs, brought Poteet to Chicago while clearing Bellinger’s contract from their books. The Cubs had reshaped their outfield with Kyle Tucker and rising star Pete Crow-Armstrong, making Bellinger expendable.</p><p>However, Poteet never got a chance to contribute in Chicago. With the Cubs’ rotation depth and the return of Javier Assad looming, the club opted to DFA Poteet before Opening Day. Now, just a few months after being acquired, he’s on the move again.</p><p>For the Orioles, this is a low-risk, high-upside move. Poteet offers flexibility as an optionable arm who can serve in either a starting or long-relief role. While the Orioles’ current rotation—featuring Zach Eflin, Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano, Dean Kremer, and Cade Povich—remains intact, injuries have thinned their depth considerably. Poteet could step in if another starter goes down or slot into the bullpen in a multi-inning role.</p><p>Veteran swingman Albert Suarez is currently the next man up, but Poteet gives manager Brandon Hyde another layer of protection—something every contender needs during a 162-game grind.</p><p>From Chicago’s side, the move raises familiar frustrations among fans. The Cubs offloaded a productive player in Bellinger for financial flexibility but haven’t reinvested that savings into the roster. “So, all in all, Chicago traded away their productive outfielder for money,” Jesse Rogers of ESPN noted, pointing out that the return essentially amounted to cash—and little else.</p><p>Unless the Cubs turn around and make aggressive upgrades at the trade deadline, the optics of this series of moves will continue to draw criticism. For now, the Orioles get a versatile arm, and Poteet gets his third team in four months—hoping this stop might offer some stability.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles trade for Cubs pitcher acquired in Cody Bellinger deal

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-news-cody-bellinger-drops-best-admission-aaron-judge-3-hr-game');   ga('set', 'title', 'Yankees’ Cody Bellinger drops ‘best’ admission on Aaron Judge after 3-HR game');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Yankees-news-Cody-Bellinger-drops-best-admission-on-Aaron-Judge-after-3-HR-game.jpg"></figure><h1>Yankees’ Cody Bellinger drops ‘best’ admission on Aaron Judge after 3-HR game</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-29T16:46:10-07:00">March 29th, 4:46pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-29T16:46:10-07:00">March 29th, 4:46pm</time><address><a>Rexwell Villas</a>Rexwell Villas is an experienced sports writer covering a variety of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college football. He's a Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and he claims to have JR Smith's conscience with his shot selection. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-news-bonkers-hr-history-vs-brewers">Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees absolutely teed off on the Milwaukee Brewers </a>on Saturday. Thanks in large part to their incredible offensive night, the Bronx Bombers scored their second win in a row to start the 2025 MLB campaign, as they crushed the Brewers in a 20-9 victory at Yankee Stadium.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-news-aaron-boones-hilarious-reggie-jackson-reason-after-yankees-epic-4-hr-first-inning">Paul Goldschmidt started the home run party for New York</a> with a 413-foot blast in the first inning followed by a Cody Bellinger homer. Judge and Austin Wells added a home run each in the same inning to give the Yankees a 4-0 lead entering the second frame.</p><p>New York didn’t look back after that, as they hit five more home runs the rest of the way, including two home from Judge, whose grand slam in the third inning gave New York an eye-popping nine-run cushion.</p><p>Judge finished the contest 4-for-6 with three home runs and eight RBIs — a career high. The two-time American League Most Valuable Player also <a href="https://x.com/GaryHPhillips/status/1906097773608316941" rel="noopener">earned a flattering message</a> from Bellinger, who wasn’t too shabby either against the Brewers. Bellinger went 3-for-5, including a home run, and four RBIs.</p><p>“To see it with your own eyes, it’s special,” Bellinger said following the game (h/t Gary Phillips of The New York Daily News). He’s the best in the game.”</p><p>Judge even nearly became just the 19th player in the history of the big leagues to hit four home runs in a game, as the ball he hit in the sixth inning got <a href="https://x.com/TalkinYanks/status/1906074949422358703" rel="noopener">caught near the warning tracks</a> by Brewers first baseman/outfielder Jake Bauers.</p><p>Reliever Yoendrys Gomez got the win for the Yankees, as he was among the biggest beneficiaries of his team’s explosion at the plate. Max Fried started for New York but pitched for only 4.2 innings after giving up two earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.</p><p>Meanwhile, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/milwaukee-brewers/brewers-news-nestor-cortes-shuns-reporters-yankees-light-up">former Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes took the pitching loss</a> for the Brewers, as he got clobbered by New York in his only two innings of duty on the mound.</p><p>Judge and the Yankees will look to complete a sweep of Brewers in this three-game series this Sunday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Yankees’ Cody Bellinger drops ‘best’ admission on Aaron Judge after 3-HR game

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-news-cody-bellinger-gets-100-real-nerves-after-new-york-debut');   ga('set', 'title', 'Yankees’ Cody Bellinger gets 100% real on ‘nerves’ after New York debut');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Yankees-news-Cody-Bellinger-gets-100-real-on-nerves-after-New-York-debut.jpg"></figure><h1>Yankees’ Cody Bellinger gets 100% real on ‘nerves’ after New York debut</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-28T10:31:37-07:00">March 28th, 10:31am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-28T13:18:43-07:00">March 28th, 1:18pm</time><address><a>Dylan Fine</a>Dylan Fine focuses on the NFL and NCAA Football for ClutchPoints, in addition to working on the meme team. Dylan is a graduate of Georgetown University and has covered various topics ranging from local politics in the DMV region with DC Voter For Animals to live sporting events in the Long Island and Rochester areas with The Southampton Press and Pickin’Splinters. When he isn't working, he's usually running in preparation for the next annual Turkey Trot.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>New York Yankees center fielder Cody Bellinger got honest about his nerves ahead of his debut with the Bronx Bombers. The 2019 NL MVP was terrific in the 4-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. New York looked the part of a World Series contender on Thursday, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-news-carlos-rodon-on-injury-scare-win-vs-brewers">riding a strong start from Carlos Rondon</a> to beat one of the best teams in the National League. And Bellinger was a huge reason why, going 1/2 with a walk and an RBI.</p><p>In the postgame interview, the 29-year-old was <a href="https://x.com/snyyankees/status/1905391041458422169" rel="noopener">much more animated</a> than his usual mellow self when breaking down his feelings going into Opening Day.</p><p>https://twitter.com/snyyankees/status/1905391041458422169</p><h2><b>Yankees to lean heavily on Cody Bellinger in quest for title 28</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Yankees-Cody-Bellinger.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-news-new-york-acquires-cody-bellinger-cubs-blockbuster-trade">Bellinger was traded to the Yankees</a> in a much-needed blockbuster trade over the offseason. The franchise was <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/grading-juan-soto-mets-historic-765-million-contract">losing its second-best hitter last year, Juan Soto</a>, and desperately needed to fill this void with a productive player. Since his 2019 season, Bellinger has at times struggled with injuries and form. That being said, the nine-year veteran is still in his prime and worth the risk for an organization looking to win now. Especially for a team that plays in a ballpark built for left-handed hitters.</p><p>While Soto was the Yankees’ headline departure, the organization added several talented players this offseason. In particular, New York significantly bolstered its pitching staff, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-news-max-fried-ny-agree-8-year-218-million-deal-free-agency">signing Braves ace Max Fried</a> and <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/devin-williams-trade-to-yankees" rel="noopener">trading for</a> star reliever Devin Williams. As for hitting, Bellinger and seven-time All-Star Paul Goldschmidt were the headline acquisitions.</p><p>Aside from Soto’s departure, much of last year’s AL pennant-winning squad’s lineup has returned. That includes ALCS MVP Giancarlo Stanton, who is unfortunately out indefinitely with elbow injuries. Stanton’s uncertain health makes Bellinger’s success even more critical, as this team needs a formidable presence behind reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge.</p><p>Overall, the Yankees must have liked what they saw from their new outfielder. New York again enters 2025 with World Series-sized expectations in a crowded AL East. Despite the injury blows this group has already suffered, this team is talented enough to contend again. And, with several young players starting right now, the Yankees still have plenty of potential trade capital to work with in a potential blockbuster deal. For now, though, it’ll be interesting to see how starters like Anthony Volpe, Ben Rice, Austin Wells, and Oswaldo Cabrera develop as the season continues.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Yankees’ Cody Bellinger gets 100% real on ‘nerves’ after New York debut

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-news-cody-bellinger-protect-aaron-judge-yankees-lineup');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cody Bellinger set to protect Aaron Judge in Yankees lineup');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Yankees-news-Cody-Bellinger-set-to-protect-Aaron-Judge-in-New-Yorks-lineup.jpg"></figure><h1>Cody Bellinger set to protect Aaron Judge in Yankees lineup</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-22T00:15:49-07:00">March 22nd, 12:15am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-22T00:15:49-07:00">March 22nd, 12:15am</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He's a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic. In addition to sports writing, he works for Arizona Football in the Player Personnel and Recruiting department and formerly served as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/yankees-news-cody-bellinger-warning-mlb">Yankees have officially confirmed Cody Bellinger</a> as their No. 3 hitter, strategically placing him directly behind star slugger Aaron Judge to strengthen the middle of their batting order. After a spectacular spring training, in which Bellinger hit an impressive .465/.511/.791 across 16 exhibition games, the Bronx Bombers are optimistic he will <a href="https://x.com/JonHeyman/status/1903148812446618032" rel="noopener">translate this momentum</a> into the regular season.</p><p>“Cody Bellinger will bat behind Aaron Judge and be the Yankees’ primary No. 3 hitter, per sources. Batting .465 with a 1.301 OPS this spring, so not exactly a surprise,” via Jon Heyman on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>Bellinger, the former NL MVP, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cubs-news-cody-bellinger-yankees-trade-chicago-fans-disbelief">experienced a relatively down year in 2024 with the Chicago Cubs</a>, hitting .266 with just 18 home runs in 130 games. However, the Yankees believe their ballpark will suit Bellinger’s left-handed swing perfectly, potentially unlocking his previous power potential. His left-handed bat is a crucial asset for manager Aaron Boone, who has often emphasized lineup balance.</p><h2><b>Cody Bellinger looks to fill the Juan Soto void for the Yankees</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Cody-Bellinger-1.jpg"><figcaption>Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>After losing Juan Soto, who provided Judge substantial protection last season, Bellinger fills a critical gap in New York’s lineup. Yankees brass hopes he can significantly contribute offensively, particularly in slugging, as he displayed a notable 50% pull rate and averaged over 92 mph exit velocity during spring training—figures tailor-made for Yankee Stadium’s short right-field porch.</p><p>The Yankees’ projected lineup against right-handed pitching will now prominently feature Austin Wells, Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Paul Goldschmidt, creating a formidable top of the order. Jazz Chisholm also seems likely to fill the fifth spot, further bolstering the team’s offensive depth.</p><p>While the Yankees don’t anticipate Bellinger replicating Soto’s production, they do expect him to adequately protect Judge and deliver consistently in high-leverage situations. His career track record against left-handed pitching—holding a solid 109 wRC+—offers a welcome versatility, particularly important with Giancarlo Stanton sidelined indefinitely. Stanton’s absence amplifies the pressure on Bellinger and other hitters to step up and provide steady offense.</p><p>Additionally, with Gerrit Cole missing significant time due to injury, the Yankees’ offense faces greater responsibility for carrying the team. The spotlight will now be on players like Bellinger, Judge, and Goldschmidt, along with rising prospects such as Ben Rice, to bolster the run production.</p><p>Bellinger’s strong spring certainly helped cement his pivotal role. Though internal confidence in his capability has always been present, his performance made the decision to slot him behind Judge an easy one for the front office and coaching staff alike. Yankees fans now eagerly anticipate how this new lineup construction will play out as they pursue postseason success in 2025.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

YEAR	TEAM	GP	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
2025	ATL	18	46	4	9	1	1	2	5	5	14	0	1	.196	.275	.391	.666
2025	ATL	4	13	1	2	0	0	1	1	0	5	0	1	.154	.154	.385	.539
2024	ATL	131	412	49	95	18	2	15	45	31	133	7	2	.231	.286	.393	.679
2024	ATL	21	56	6	8	0	1	1	4	4	13	1	0	.143	.200	.232	.432
2023	SEA	105	372	44	94	25	2	11	49	37	132	13	5	.253	.327	.419	.746
2023	SEA	19	51	10	18	2	2	4	10	3	13	3	1	.353	.389	.706	.095
2022	SEA	5	17	1	2	0	0	0	1	0	7	0	1	.118	.111	.118	.229
2022	SEA	54	163	20	23	5	1	7	17	16	61	5	2	.141	.221	.313	.534
2022	SEA	13	34	5	9	1	0	3	7	3	9	1	0	.265	.324	.559	.883
2021	SEA	10	20	7	6	2	0	2	5	4	1	0	1	.300	.440	.700	.140
2021	SEA	93	337	41	61	13	1	14	43	36	106	6	4	.181	.265	.350	.615
2020	SEA	13	26	4	6	1	0	1	2	2	7	0	0	.231	.310	.385	.695

YEAR	TEAM	GP	GS	PO	A	E	DP	FPCT
2025	ATL	17	17	18	0	0	0	.000
2025	ATL	4	4	10	0	0	0	.000
2024	ATL	126	110	231	4	3	0	.987
2024	ATL	21	20	28	0	2	0	.933
2023	SEA	108	96	183	1	3	0	.984
2023	SEA	19	19	18	1	0	0	.000
2022	SEA	5	4	10	0	0	0	.000
2022	SEA	51	42	101	4	1	0	.991
2022	SEA	14	13	8	0	1	0	.889
2021	SEA	9	5	6	2	0	0	.000
2021	SEA	94	91	230	2	4	1	.983
2020	SEA	13	5	12	0	0	0	.000

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