Report: Yankees acquire Cody Bellinger from Cubs

After dealing for star outfielder Kyle Tucker last Friday, the Cubs are trading 2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees, the teams announced on Tuesday.

Right-handed reliever Cody Poteet is headed to Chicago in return, while the Cubs are also sending $5 million to the Yankees to be split evenly over the next two seasons.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that the Yankees plan to play Bellinger in centre field and move two-time MVP Aaron Judge to right field.

Bellinger has spent the past two seasons with the Cubs after joining the Northsiders as a free agent before the 2023 season.

The 29-year-old, whose father Clay helped the Yankees win World Series titles in 1999 and 2000, is owed $27.5 million in 2025 under the first of two player options as part of an $80 million, three-year contract. The two-time All-Star also has a $25 million player option for 2026 with a $5 million buyout that would be payable in equal installments on Jan. 15, 2026, and Jan. 15, 2027.

In 2023, the six-foot-four outfielder/first baseman returned to the form that saw him earn two trips to the All-Star Game, his MVP and the 2017 NL Rookie of the Year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he failed to get back to those heights in 2024.

Over 130 games last season, Bellinger slashed .266/.325/.426 with 18 home runs, 78 RBIs and 23 doubles. He spent time in all three outfield spots and at first base.

Bellinger made his major league debut in 2017 and spent his first six seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was the NL MVP in 2019, batting .305 with 47 homers and 115 RBIs in 156 games. He also helped LA win the World Series in 2020.

With the Cubs acquiring Tucker, the writing was on the wall for Bellinger’s tenure in Chicago, as the outfield only grew more crowded with the acquisition of the former Astros All-Star.

The Cubs have established big-leaguers Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki on the roster, along with young up-and-comers Pete Crow-Armstrong and Canadian Owen Caissie, all in the outfield.

Poteet, 30, made his major league debut with Miami in 2021, had Tommy John surgery on Aug. 17, 2022, returned to the mound with Kansas City's Triple-A Omaha farm team on Sept. 23, 2023, was released by the Royals and signed with the Yankees last January. He went 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA in four starts and one relief appearance during a season in which he was sidelined between June 12 and Sept. 25 by a strained right triceps.

-- With files from the Associated Press