After missing out on Juan Soto earlier this offseason, the New York Yankees shifted gears by acquiring Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs. They also bolstered their lineup by signing Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year, $12.5 million deal following the release of first baseman Anthony Rizzo at the end of the 2024 season.
Bellinger has been impressed by the vast potential he’s seen as he looks around the Yankees’ clubhouse during the early days of spring training.
For the Yankees to return to the Fall Classic and compete for a championship, they’ll need Bellinger to deliver at a high level. Alongside veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, he stands as one of the team’s few marquee additions after parting ways with Soto this past winter.
“For me and Paul, it’s [not necessarily] replacing anybody, but coming in and performing to our best capability. We know what our best capability is. If we reach those levels, then I think that it could be fun,” said Bellinger in an interview via MLB.com.
Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt regaining their MVP forms for the Yankees
Few players in the league can claim their peak performance means delivering another MVP-caliber season. Bellinger captured the award with the Dodgers in 2019, while Goldschmidt earned it in 2022 with the Cardinals.
The Yankees intend for Bellinger, who is also a two-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger, and Gold Glove winner—to take over center field, freeing up Judge to move back to right after spending most of 2024 in center to make room for Soto.
One reason to expect a strong season from these veterans, particularly Bellinger, is Judge’s presence in the lineup. Juan Soto had a career year hitting ahead of Judge in 2024, and Bellinger could slot into the No. 2 spot in 2025. Even if he bats behind Judge, he’ll have plenty of RBI chances.
With Judge delivering his second AL MVP season (223 OPS+) and Soto putting up stellar numbers (178 OPS+), the Yankees led the AL with 815 runs last season—an impressive 142-run jump from their 2023 total (673) and their highest mark since 2019 (943). Matching or surpassing that production in 2025 will be a tough challenge.
While the 29-year-old won’t match Soto’s power, he brings strong defense and reliable production at the plate, hitting .266 with a .751 OPS, 18 home runs, and 78 RBI last season.
Getting ready for the opener
Although it’s clear that Bellinger and Goldschmidt won’t replicate Soto’s production, they may still face early pressure to deliver, especially with Giancarlo Stanton’s Opening Day availability in question due to lingering pain in both elbows.
Goldschmidt is looking to rebound after a challenging 2024 season with the Cardinals, where he posted a career-low .245/.302/.414 slash line and a 98 OPS+.
Meanwhile, spring training is in full swing in Tampa Bay as the reigning AL champions gear up for their home opener against the Milwaukee Brewers on March 27.
The post Cody Bellinger drops ‘fun’ take on replacing Juan Soto appeared first on ClutchPoints.
