Grading the Cody Bellinger Trade |
In what was about two years in the making, the New York Yankees finally got their man as they acquired Cody Bellinger and cash from the Cubs on Tuesday. Bellinger to the Yankees had been circling the waters since 2023 and started to pick up steam during the 2024 trade deadline.
After electing to hold on to Bellinger for the remainder of the season, the front office hoped he would opt out of his deal and hit the open market. When he elected to opt in, the clock was ticking on Bellinger and how long he would remain a Cub, especially after the Kyle Tucker trade that brought King Tuck to Chicago. Many felt that Bellinger would be traded at the deadline, but it took a bit longer than that. He is on the move and will land in the Bronx to replace Juan Soto. The most frustrating part of this entire deal is the return they received, as they not only sent cash to the Yankees but also picked up a reliever instead of the rumored No. 5 prospect in the organization. If this doesn't scream giving a player away for free, I don't know what does, as the Cubs clearly didn't want Bellinger on this roster any longer. On the surface, the Yankees are getting a great player, as Bellinger was a former NL MVP and rookie of the year. After mashing 48 homers in his MVP season, Bellinger was seen as one of the bright young sluggers on the market and expected to be a massive piece for years. Then came the injuries, particularly a shoulder injury that not only zapped all his power but also made him a liability, making him a disposable piece for the Dodgers. Following a dreadful 2022 season, the Cubs took a chance on him for the 2023 season and signed him to a one-year, 17.5 million dollar prove-it deal. Not only did he prove himself again, but he was worth every penny. In his first season on the North side, he hit .307 with nearly 30 homers and 97 RBIs. Those were the numbers the Cubs were hoping to get, and that helped him land another three-year deal with the Cubs that had a pair of options tied into it. His second season in Chicago wasn't nearly as productive, which was a big reason why the Cubs hoped he would opt out. His average took a major dip, but he still managed to hit north of .270, which is decent for a player. However, with fewer than 20 homers and 80 RBIs, the power decline that has been happening for years continued to come up as he has gone from a great player to just a good player. The return for Bellinger is what Cubs fans are going to be furious about as they not only sent cash the Yankees' way, but instead of getting the rumored prospect they were planning to get, they landed a right-handed relief pitcher by the name of Cody Poteet. Talk about a gut punch; Poteet better be legit, or this will go down as one of the worst trades in franchise history. Not only did the Cubs have to eat some of the salary attached to Bellinger, but the Cubs also landed a reclamation project that shows how easily teams can take advantage of Jed Hoyer at times. While there is some hope that Poteet has some value in him, this is what you call a complete salary dump trade, which will clear some of the financial space on this roster. The Cubs must like what they see in Poteet, as his overall numbers haven't been great. Since breaking into professional baseball in 2015, Poteet has bounced around in the Marlins and Yankees systems, with a brief stop in Kansas City. Primarily a Minor League arm, Poteet does have some MLB experience, including 2024 as a member of the Yankees. Poteet threw the third-most MLB innings of his career, 24, during the 2024 season but had the best overall success, posting a 2.22 ERA. Considering that his career MLB ERA was 4.73 in 51 appearances before that, something clicked last season, and the Cubs are hoping to build on that. Grade F: Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before this trade went down. However, had the fans known this would be the return they would get, they would've held on to Bellinger. You gave up your best home run threat from last season and one of your more consistent players for someone who has had minimal success at best at the MLB level. This is one of those times when Hoyer made a trade to make a trade, which is going to sting for quite a while. All Hoyer had to do was stand his ground a while longer, and the Yankees would've caved and given the Cubs a better package. Hopefully, any more deals made from here on out will result in better returns for this team.
