Bellinger Ain't Half-baked. He's Locked In!

Not every player barrels into a new team like a wrecking ball through drywall. Sometimes it takes a minute — or a month — to find your swing, your rhythm, and your favorite deli order. Baseball isn’t plug-and-play. It’s chess with cleats and curveballs, and when a guy changes teams, there’s more going on than just a new jersey. You’ve got new teammates, new coaches, new expectations, new pressure… and let’s not pretend New York’s weather doesn’t throw a wrinkle into things either. This isn’t San Diego sunshine. It’s Gotham. And some dudes just weren’t built for it.

Case in point: Juan Soto. Don’t get me wrong — Soto was a stud. But watching him this season, you can’t help but think he’s standing in the Bronx with pinstripes on in his daydreams. The poor guy looks like he accidentally swiped left on the Yankees in the offseason and now he’s stuck in the wrong uniform, wondering where it all went wrong.

Meanwhile, in the corner of the Yankees’ clubhouse where humility and hustle live, Cody Bellinger is thriving. Sure, the intro wasn’t perfect. He came out of the gate like a guy trying to remember if he left the stove on — hitting just .196 with three homers in his first 29 games. But guess what? Baseball’s a game of adjustments. It’s about making the tweaks, finding the groove, and ignoring the noise.

And Bellinger? He’s locked in now.

Since May 3, Belli has been dialed up to MVP mode again — rocking a .957 OPS and reminding everyone why the Yankees were right to bring him in. He’s dropped the hammer at the plate, hitting .317 with six home runs over his last 29 games. That includes a 15-game hitting streak where he mashed five bombs and looked every bit the guy who used to break pitchers’ spirits in Los Angeles.

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Need more proof? Look no further than Thursday’s series-clinching win over Cleveland. Bellinger, alongside Max Fried’s gem on the mound, was a key piece of the victory puzzle. And even in games like last night’s 9-6 win over the Red Sox — where he only managed one hit — it’s clear: the man is hot. His swing is loud. His glove is smooth. And the confidence? It’s contagious.

There’s no drama with Belli. No ego war, no tabloid fodder. Just a guy playing ball, fitting in, and quietly becoming the missing piece behind Aaron Judge — the sun around which this Yankees lineup orbits. And look, I know how crazy this might’ve sounded back in April, but here we are in June, and I’ll say it: I’m happier having Cody Bellinger than I would’ve been with Juan Soto.

Soto’s talent is undeniable. But there’s something to be said about fit — and Bellinger fits!