The New York Yankees trade deadline decisions could be hinting at their future plans with Cody Bellinger.
The trade deadline has come and gone, and the New York Yankees managed to add valuable pieces without having to trade one of their top prospects.
New York was able to bring in impactful players like third baseman Ryan McMahon and closer David Bednar, and though they traded away some prospects, they retained No. 4 prospect Spencer Jones. Jones, 24, has been tearing things up since getting promoted to Triple A on June 27, hitting .402/.461/.920 with 13 home runs, 25 RBIs, and a 1.380 OPS in 21 games.
With the Yankees' decision to retain Jones, Cody Bellinger's time in New York may be coming to an end, according to The Athletic's Brendan Kuty
"Did they see Jones factoring into their outfield soon?" Kuty wrote. "Aaron Judge isn’t going anywhere for a long time. The club also still appears high on once-touted prospect Jasson Domínguez. Center fielder Trent Grisham will be a free agent after the season, and Cody Bellinger seems likely to opt out of his contract, leaving one year and $25 million on the table for greater riches in free agency."
"If the Yankees believe in Jones, they could hand him the keys to center field as early as 2026. Or they could promote him in August or September. He played his last two games in right field — a sudden area of concern for the Yankees with Judge on the injured list with a right flexor tendon strain. The Yankees hope Judge will be back to full strength and playing defense again within a month, but if he heals slowly or has a setback, Jones might get his first chance in the majors."
Follow The Sporting News On WhatsApp
Bellinger has a player option after this season, and even if he opts in, he has only one more year on his contract. The Yankees weren't willing to part ways with Jones in any potential deal for Miami Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcántara, so clearly the team has high hopes for the young prospect, which could be bad news for Bellinger.
More MLB: Red Sox's lackluster deadline could clear path for rookies' return
Category: Baseball
