
New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger has been a tremendous pickup after since coming over in a trade with the Chicago Cubs in December 2024.
The Yankees acquired Bellinger as a counter to losing Juan Soto to the New York Mets, and while it seemed like a massive downgrade on paper, Bellinger has actually proven to be quite a weapon for the Bronx Bombers.
The former NL MVP slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI during his debut campaign with the Yankees in 2025, playing terrific outfield defense to boot.
It has been more of the same for Bellinger in Year 2, as he is slashing .262/.361/.446 with 11 homers and 49 RBI over 352 plate appearances. He also boasts an incredible plus-17 DRS in left field.
However, there is one major downside to Bellinger’s game in 2026, and it’s very hard to figure out: his struggles on the road.
While the 30-year-old owns a 1.128 OPS at home, he has been brutal on the road, laying claim to a .182/.293/.271 slash line away from the friendly confines of Yankee Stadium.
Bellinger was clearly better at home last season, too, posting a .909 OPS in the Bronx and a .715 OPS in other ballparks, but the contrast was not nearly as heavy as it is this year.
There is no question that Yankee Stadium is a hitter’s park, especially for a southpaw like Bellinger. The short right-field porch is a haven for lefty power hitters, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that Bellinger performs better at home.
But the fact that he is so horrendous on the road is definitely concerning, and it’s pretty jarring.
The Yankees re-signed Bellinger on a five-year, $162.5 million contract over the winter, keeping him away from the crosstown rival Mets.
But if teams like the Mets had the foresight to see how poorly Bellinger would slug away from Yankee Stadium in 2026, perhaps they wouldn’t have pursued him so heavily.
We’ll see if Bellinger can pick it up as the season progresses.
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