NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees agreed on Tuesday to acquire outfielder Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for right-handed pitcher Cody Poteet, a person familiar with the negotiations reported.
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The person spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been officially announced. Chicago will send 5 million dollars to the Yankees as part of the trade, the person said.
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Bellinger, 29, whose father Clay helped the Yankees win the World Series titles in 1999 and 2000, has a salary of 27.5 million dollars in 2025 under the first of two player options as part of a three-year contract worth 80 million dollars.
The baseball player, twice selected to the All-Star Game, also has a $25 million option for 2026 with a $5 million buyout payable in equal installments on January 15, 2026, and January 15, 2027.
Bellinger hit .266 with 18 home runs and 78 RBIs in 130 games this year. He was on the injured list from April 24th to May 7th due to a rib fracture.
He drove in 33 runs in his last 39 games of the season, but Chicago finished with a record of 83-79.
Bellinger, who plays first base and center field, made his Major League debut in 2017 and spent his first six seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was the National League Most Valuable Player in 2019, batting .305 with 47 home runs and 115 RBIs in 156 games. He also helped Los Angeles win the World Series in 2020.
He was released by the Dodgers in November 2022 and signed a one-year contract for 17.5 million dollars with Chicago a month later. He regained his form with the Cubs, batting a personal record of .307 with 26 home runs, 97 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases in 130 games last season.
Bellinger has a batting average of .259 with 196 home runs and 597 runs batted in 1,005 games. He will turn 30 years old in July.
Poteet, 30 years old, made his major league debut with Miami in 2021, underwent Tommy John surgery on August 17, 2022, returned to the mound with Kansas City's Triple-A team, Omaha, on September 23, 2023, was released by the Royals and signed with the Yankees last January.
He had a record of 3-0 with an ERA of 2.22 in four starts and one relief appearance during a season in which he was sidelined between June 12 and September 25 due to a right triceps strain.