Bellinger's rollercoaster life, Rookie of the Year → MVP → Releasing → Releasing → Releasing → AL Winning Team NYY trade successful

Dec 18, 2024

ESPN 기사캡쳐

'A rollercoaster life across the continental United States'

Chicago Cubs slugger Cody Bellinger (29) will eventually be traded to the New York Yankees. Expectations from the beginning of the stove league market have come true.

What Scott Boras, Bellinger's agent and dubbed the 「Devil's Agent」, said became a reality. Earlier this month, he spoke about Bellinger's future at the Winter Meetings in Dallas, Texas, saying, `If you get a trade, you're going to play for a very competitive team.'

It was the New York Yankees that Boras mentioned 'competitive team'. The American League winner of the 2024 season and the runner-up in the World Series. It is a prestigious club representing MLB. Bellinger became a member of the Yankee Empire.

MLB.COM and ESPN will recruit Bellinger in a trade on the 18th (Korea time). The Yankees are on the condition that they give right-hander Cody Fortit to the Cubs and receive $5 million (about 7.2 billion won) with Bellinger, according to the report.

After all, it is one of the chain reactions following Juan Soto's transfer to the New York Mets. The Yankees, who lost Soto, needed an outfield agent with long balls. It was Bellinger who entered the radar network. If you look at your career and record, it's a perfect choice.

Bellinger is a man who has lived through the highest glory and worst crisis. Bellinger, who debuted in 2017 with the Los Angeles Dodgers in western California and was immediately named the National League Rookie of the Year, was named the National League MVP two years later with a batting average of 350, 47 homers and 115 RBIs in the 2019 season. Making it to the top position in the third year of his debut.

However, after injuring his shoulder in the postseason in 2020, he entered the rollercoaster's plunge section. His skills gradually declined, and he eventually tasted the humiliation of being released as a non-tender after the 2022 season.

Bellinger was desperate. Bellinger, who signed with the Chicago Cubs while controlling his shoulder injury, re-created the 2019 season by hitting .37 with 26 home runs and 97 RBIs in the 2023 season. Thanks to this, he signed a three-year-$80 million contract with the Cubs after the end of the season.

It was somewhat sluggish in the first year of the contract. He hit 0.266 with 18 homers and 78 RBIs in the 2024 season. It's a concerning performance for the Cubs. He has to pay $52.5 million more over the next two years, but if his skills decline again, he will spend money in vain. Boras and the Yankees seem to have dug into this point.

The Yankees expect left-handed batter Bellinger to increase home run productivity at New York's home stadium, which has a short right fence. In the end, he agreed to trade with the Cubs. The Cubs need a right-handed relief pitcher. The Yankees decided to send right-hander Fortit instead of receiving $5 million to compensate Bellinger and his salary.

Fortit played 24 ⅓ innings in five games (four starts) last season. His performance was three wins and no losses, a 2.22 ERA and a 1.068 WHIP. It's a fairly compliant record, but there's a history of injuries. He left in mid-June with a sprained right triceps. However, if you are good at rehabilitation, you can be competitive enough.

I'm looking forward to how Bellinger, who started in Western California, shot Central Chicago, and settled in Eastern New York, will unfold in his third act of career.

wman@sportschosun.com

Bellinger's rollercoaster life, Rookie of the Year → MVP → Releasing → Releasing → Releasing → AL Winning Team NYY trade successful

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