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Yankees' Cody Bellinger Made MLB History in Ultimate Revenge Game Against Cubs

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Rex Villas | Last updated Jul 12, 2025 12:31 AM ET

New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger had a night to remember on Friday against his former team.

He hit not one, not two, but three home runs in an 11-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs, who traded him to the Bronx Bombers in December for right-hander Cody Poteet instead of just keeping him on the roster. That was after Bellinger signed a three-year, $80 million contract with the Cubs in February of 2024.

Against the Cubs, the 29-year-old Bellinger started his one-man Home Run Derby with a two-run blast in the third inning. He slammed another two-run dinger in the fifth inning. He added to his incredible evening with one more two-run tater in the eighth inning

Overall, the former National League Most Valuable Player went 3-for-5 with six RBIs. Moreover, Bellinger had a performance not seen before in the history of the big leagues.

"Cody Bellinger of the @Yankees is the first player in MLB history to hit 3 home runs in his first game against a former team (Cubs)," OptaSTATS shared in a post on X.

It was also Bellinger's first career three-homer game. He could have had a four-homer game, but Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker denied him a home run in the seventh inning with a sensational catch.

Thanks to his vintage performance, Bellinger improved his 2025 season numbers to .285/.340/.498. He is tied with Trent Grisham for third on the team with 16 home runs and second with 54 RBIs.

The Yankees will look to keep the good times rolling and extend their win streak to six games when they meet the Cubs anew on Saturday before the series finale on Sunday.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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