May 16, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) hits a single against the New York Mets during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images John Jones-Imagn Images

Yankees' Cody Bellinger Stays Hot in Subway Series Opener

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Jack Markowski | Last updated May 17, 2025 7:00 AM ET

While Juan Soto stole most of the headlines in the opening game of this year's Subway Series, outfielder Cody Bellinger remained scorching hot as the New York Yankees captured a 6-2 win over the New York Mets.

The 29-year-old's introductory at-bat on the night came in the bottom of the first inning against Tylor Megill. After Trent Grisham drew a walk and Aaron Judge struck out, Bellinger lined a fastball into center field for a single on the second pitch he saw.

The Yankees did not push a run across in that initial frame, though they wouldn't stay off the board for long. With runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the third, Bellinger hit a nubber down to third off a Megill slider that Mark Vientos couldn't throw over to first base in time, resulting in an infield hit.

The Bronx Bombers would proceed to score four runs in the inning and chase Megill, who was wild all night to the tune of five walks, forcing Mets manager Carlos Mendoza to bring in Max Kranick out of the bullpen.

With Judge on first and one out in the fourth, Bellinger ripped a 103.4-mph double down the right field line off Kranick. Though the extra-base knock didn't bring in a run, both players would score later on in the frame as the Yankees' lead grew to 6-1.

After lining out to second base in the bottom of the sixth, Bellinger missed a three-run blast off Dedniel Núñez by mere inches in the eighth on a 338-foot wall-scraper out to the short porch in right field that Soto caught.

Bellinger is now slashing .242/.308/.403 on the season with five home runs, 21 RBIs and four stolen bases across 169 plate appearances. Those numbers don't jump off the page, as he's logged just a 99 wRC+ thus far, but he's come a long way from where he started.

From March 27 through April 24, the 2017 NL Rookie of the Year and 2019 NL MVP posted the least amount of fWAR among all Yankees position players with -0.2 while batting .177/.236/.291.

Since then, however, Bellinger has excelled. In 18 games and 80 plate appearances, he's boasting a slash line of .314/.388/.529 that's more in line with some of the most productive seasons of his career.

The Yankees acquired him via trade from the Chicago Cubs this past offseason in hopes of partially filling the void Soto left. New York took on the vast majority of the money remaining on Bellinger's three-year, $80 million deal that he signed in February 2024, which includes a player option after this season, and that will prove to be a worthy investment should he keep up his current pace.

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