Cubs trade Cody Bellinger to Yankees for Cody Poteet
The Yankees continue to prepare for the 2025 season and now add All Star Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs, who took pitcher Cody Poteet
The New York Yankees they acquired to the outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger in a exchange with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, and continue to stock up on high-level talent following the defection of outfielder Juan Soto as a free agent to the New York Mets.
Chicago also sent cash considerations to New York, which sent right-hander Cody Poteet to the Cubs to complete the deal.
Sources told AM850 that the Yankees will receive $5 million to offset Bellinger’s salary: he will earn $27.5 million in 2025 and has a player option for $25 million in 2026. Chicago will pay $2.5 million to cover part of the $27 salary, 5 million from Bellinger this season. The remaining $2.5 million will cover a contract buyout if Bellinger doesn’t exercise his player option or will go toward his $25 million salary in 2026, according to a source.
Bellinger, 29, is the 2019 National League MVP whose father, Clay, played for the Yankees from 1999 to 2001. Bellinger’s return to form after three poor seasons came in 2023 with the Cubs, and agreed to a three-year, $80 million free agent contract with Chicago in March.
After hitting .266/.325/.426 with 18 home runs and 78 RBIs this year, Bellinger refused to buy out the remainder of his contract.
New York’s acquisition of Bellinger follows the free agent signing of left-handed starter Max Fried and trade for All-Star closer Devin Williams. After a World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Yankees have spent the week since Soto’s signing fortifying themselves for another run.
Bellinger’s versatility fits perfectly into the holes in New York’s lineup. Bellinger is an above-average center fielder and can play there or in left field if the Yankees prefer to use rookie Jasson Dominguez in center. Bellinger is also a top defensive first baseman, and while Anthony Rizzo’s free agency opened up the position, New York could opt for an internal option in Ben Rice or pursue Pete Alonso or Christian Walker in free agency.
At his best, Bellinger is a middle-of-the-order force whose bat skills should help bolster the loss of Soto. When he won MVP as a 24-year-old in 2019, Bellinger hit .305/.406/.629 with 47 home runs. Over his eight-year career, he has hit .259/.334/.484 with 196 home runs and 597 RBIs in 1,005 games.
The Cubs had spent the winter searching for a trade partner for Bellinger, looking to free up payroll in hopes of improving a team that went 83-79 this year. The teams spent significant time haggling over the amount of money the Cubs would include in a potential deal.
Ultimately, they settled on the $5 million figure and Poteet, 30, who started four games for the Yankees this year. In 24⅓ innings, Poteet struck out 16, walked eight and posted a 2.22 ERA. In three major league seasons split between starter and reliever, Poteet has a 3.80 ERA with 69 strikeouts, 35 walks and 13 home runs allowed in 83 innings.
