Why Cody Bellinger’s injury return is even more important for Yankees than fans may believe

As the summer begins to wind down, the New York Yankees find themselves in the midst of a race to best the Tampa Bay Rays and win the American League East.

Despite injuries to reigning MVP Aaron Judge and veteran slugger Giancarlo Stanton, the New York lineup has been able to scrape together wins and remain atop the league’s Wild Card standings. Outfielder Cody Bellinger just returned from a Grade 2 strain of his left hamstring that had kept him sidelined since the end of July, and while it would be easy to say that just about any Yankee could be an X-factor down the stretch, the Scottsdale native’s unique blend of power and plate discipline may make him invaluable as New York looks to get hot at the right time.

“For me, [I want to] come in, help the team win as much as I can and play my best ball,” Bellinger told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com before his return from the IL.

Cody Bellinger’s approach at the plate will be a needed force for the Yankees

Across the first 102 games of his season, Bellinger cranked 11 home runs, earned 53 RBI, and posted a .770 OPS. These may not be the marks that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman envisioned when the three-time All-Star signed a 5-year $162.5 million contract over the offseason, but a look at the advanced stats reveals a more compelling picture.

According to Baseball Savant, Bellinger ranks in the 89th percentile in terms of walk rate, the 79th percentile in Batting Run Value, and the 79th percentile in strikeout rate. Put simply, the former MVP prides himself on being a tough at-bat for opposing pitchers. He does not strikeout much and works deep into counts when necessary.

“When I’m good, I’m able to realize why I’m good, and then when I’ve struggled, I’ve been able to figure out why I’m bad,” Bellinger told Dylan Hernandez of the California Post.

Further, Bellinger boasts the sort of pop that can change a game in an instant. He mashed 25 home runs last season and put up an .813 OPS in the process. During his MVP season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019, the former fourth-round pick hit a career-high 47 home runs. While he has not been the same player over the past few seasons, Bellinger is still an All-Star talent who can heat up at the plate on a moment’s notice.

Both his grit and power are assets that the Yankees need. Until Judge returns, they will need every bit of pop they can muster from Bellinger, Ben Rice, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and others. But the more interesting impact that the left-handed bat could have may have more to do with how he can extend innings and make pitchers work.

While many of New York’s batters can hit home runs, they are not necessarily a group that plays crisp situational baseball. Without Judge, they will not be able to simply mash their way to the end of the regular season.

The team will need to find creative ways to produce runs, and Bellinger could be a key catalyst. A walk, bloop single, or double down the foul line could be what sets up a teammate to drive in runs. The veteran’s situational awareness will be critical, and could guide how he treats each pressure-filled plate appearance during the last weeks of the campaign.

It remains to be seen where the Yankees will land by the last week of September, but their immediate survival will demand strong games from Bellinger. He may have expected a star-studded cast when he committed to New York in the winter, but he’ll have to do a bit of everything to help put his team in good standing ahead of October.

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