Cody

Bellinger

Paul Goldschmidt is in the midst of an extended slump, so Bellinger will play first base with Ben Rice at DH, and Max Schuemann getting another start in left field. The Yankees are doing everything they can to try and jumpstart a floundering offense.

Goldschmidt takes a seat with Ben Rice at first base and Cody Bellinger getting the nod at DH to face emerging Reds ace Chase Burns during Sunday afternoon’s matinee at Yankee Stadium. The 38-year-old veteran, who launched his 12th round-tripper of the season during Saturday’s contest, has been tearing the cover off the ball recently, hitting .338 (23-for-68) with six homers in 16 games since the start of June.

Bellinger got the Yankees going early with a two-run homer in the first and wound up reaching base three more times in his final four plate appearances. He’s now up to 11 home runs and 49 RBI on the season with a .280 batting average and .860 OPS. Without Aaron Judge, the Yankees desperately need someone in their lineup to step up and Bellinger is filling those shoes admirably so far.

Grisham’s injury is merely the latest blow to New York’s outfield depth, leaving Cody Bellinger as the lone Opening Day starter left standing. It’ll be former top prospect Jasson Domínguez, who was activated from the injured list in a corresponding move, along with free-swinging rookie Spencer Jones and José Caballero splitting time in the outfield corners next to Bellinger. No word on the severity of the strain, which will determine how much time Grisham misses. He was hitting .232/.341/.406 with eight homers and six steals as the Yankees’ primary leadoff hitter against right-handed starters.

A hot hitter of late, Bellinger helped to try and bring the Yankees back from an early 5-0 deficit with his home run here. His blast got them within two, but they’d never get closer. Nevertheless, he’s hit five of his 10 home runs this season over his last 21 games and is now up to a .270 batting average and .844 OPS on the season.

Bellinger slapped Shawn Armstrong pitch to the left side and through a drawn-in infield to plate two in the 10th. He’s up to 43 RBI on the season, which is tied for 14th in the majors. Of the 25 players with at least 40 RBI, only Bellinger (nine) and Alec Burleson (eight) are still in single digits in homers.

Bellinger’s homer was a go-ahead solo shot in the eighth off Justin Slaten. He re-signed with the Yankees on a five-year, $162.5 million deal this past offseason, and he’s posting his best quality of contact since 2020. Bellinger has done it more with on-base abilities than power output, but his 138 wRC+ is tied with his rookie year for the second-best mark of his career.

Grisham will open the contest on the bench with veteran lefty Patrick Corbin toeing the rubber for Toronto in this one. Cody Bellinger is in center field with Max Schuemann in left field.

Paul Goldschmidt and Bellinger both had Joc Pederson-aided triples in the first today. Bellinger’s was a liner in front of Pederson that a faster right fielder probably would have made a diving play on. Pederson tried to and had the ball bounce over him. It was Bellinger’s AL-leading third triple of the year. His OPS is all of the way up .924 with him having opened May 14-for-26 with 10 extra-base hits in seven games.

Bellinger’s first homer was a Yankee Stadium special that traveled just 363 feet, per Statcast, and would’ve been an out in every other stadium. His second against lefty reliever Keegan Akin in the fifth inning was a bit more definitive and gave New York a commanding 6-1 lead at the time. It was his second multi-homer performance of the season. He also plated an additional runs with a pair of additional hits, and added his fourth stolen base of the season, just for good measure.