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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 04: Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two run home run against the Miami Marlins during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium on April 04, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Caean Couto/Getty Images)
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The New York Yankees might not have met World Series expectations last year but they did field one of the sport’s best offenses.
And with Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt all re-signing with the team, virtually the same offense is back with a more promising rotation alongside it.
“They’ve started the season with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon … on the injured list and not due back until May, but they have hardly been missed,” the New York Daily News’ Bill Madden wrote. “Instead, led by their new 1-2 starters, Max Fried and Cam Schlittler, Yankee starters had a 0.53 ERA, the lowest ERA in the first six games of the season since 1909 when earned run average became official in both leagues.”
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New York Yankees Star Cody Bellinger Took Los Angeles Dodgers MVP For Granted
Now a more complete version of the Yankees could emerge as the American League’s strongest challenger to the Los Angeles Dodgers. And after serving as one of the team’s most successful acquisitions last year, Bellinger appears to be doing so once again, nine years since his MLB career began with the Dodgers.
To start the season, Bellinger is the team’s walks leader, second in runs, third in average and has played four different positions.
It’s a combination of hitting and defensive versatility that won him a Most Valuable Player award with the Dodgers in 2019, though that form seemed to elude him for several years afterward.
Bellinger was released by the Dodgers before rebuilding his value with the Chicago Cubs, then joining the Yankees. And it seems that journey came as a surprise to him.
“Those years happened in the blink of an eye,” Bellinger told Alfred Santasiere III of Yankees Mag. “I didn’t even appreciate it in the moment, even when I won the National League MVP. I just expected to be able to play at that level forever.”
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New York Yankees’ Cody Bellinger Grateful For Career Struggles
But instead, Bellinger went through some career hardships on the way to becoming one of the Yankees’ most valued veterans. He signed a five-year, $162.5 million deal to return.
“I’ve been the best player in the world, and I’ve literally been the worst player,” Bellinger said of his career so far, per Santasiere. “I had some really tough years, but when I look back on it now, I’m honestly happy that I did fail… I learned a lot about myself. I learned a lot about who was with me — who was really in my corner. Ultimately, I’m grateful for those two really bad years, even though they were a grind.”
Now that Bellinger has come out the other side looking a lot like his best self, the Yankees’ World Series expectations are rapidly building again.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
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