New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that outfielder Cody Bellinger (back) is still getting treatment for his sore back, which is why he was out of the starting lineup for Monday's series opener against the visiting Kansas City Royals. "He's doing well. I just want to pick some spots here, especially getting through 13 (games) in a row here," Boone said. It doesn't sound like anything fantasy managers should be worried about, but they'll want to check back on Tuesday to see if he has returned to the starting lineup. It could also be a big reason for why the 29-year-old left-handed slugger is hitting just .191 (9-for-47) in the early going of his first year in pinstripes with a homer, eight RBI, nine runs scored and two stolen bases in 13 games played. Bellinger also missed some time early last week after dealing with food poisoning.

New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger will retreat to the bench for Monday's series opener against the visiting Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium. Trent Grisham is starting in center field and will bat eighth against Royals right-hander Seth Lugo. Bellinger missed some time with food poisoning early last week, but he started the last four games for the Yankees after recovering. However, the Yankees are giving the 29-year-old left-handed slugger a day off after his slow start to the 2025 season. In his first 12 games in the Bronx, he has gone 9-for-46 (.196) with a home run, a triple, eight RBI, two steals, nine runs scored, four walks and 15 strikeouts in 53 plate appearances. Grisham has outperformed Bellinger so far with a .344 average, three homers and nine RBI in 32 at-bats, but he's down at the bottom of the batting order and is hitless in just three career at-bats against Lugo.

After a bout with food poisoning that caused him to miss Tuesday's contest against the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (illness) is back in center field and is hitting third for the series finale at Comerica Park against Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty. The left-handed-hitting Trent Grisham will head back to the Yankees bench. The 29-year-old Bellinger should be returned to starting fantasy lineups now that he's feeling better. The two-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year and MVP has gone 7-for-30 (.233) in his first eight games with the Yankees in 2025, including a homer, six RBI and two stolen bases in 36 trips to the plate. He has faced Flaherty 15 times in his career and has hit .267 against him with an .886 OPS, one home run and two RBI.

New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (illness) is out of the team's starting lineup on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park with food poisoning. Manager Aaron Boon said Bellinger was "throwing up all night." To Boone's knowledge, nobody else on the team is sick. The 29-year-old ate some bad chicken wings last night, but he could be back in there for Wednesday's series finale. Trent Grisham is getting another start in center field on Tuesday against Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal and is batting eighth in the lineup. While Grisham is off to a strong start in 2025 with a .423 average (11-for-26) with three homers, a double and nine RBI in his first nine games for the Bombers, we wouldn't recommend starting him in DFS on Tuesday against the reigning American League Cy Young winner.

New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (back) is returning to the starting nine on Sunday when the Yankees conclude a three-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bellinger has missed the first two games of this series due to back stiffness. However, the 29-year-old was able to be cleared for action. He will bat second and cover right field, which will move Aaron Judge to the designated hitter spot. Through his first six games as a Yankee, Bellinger has held a .238/.296/.381 slash line with one long ball. He has brought in six runs and scored five. Bellinger has typically seen time in center field, but given how well Trent Grisham has performed lately, he will continue to hold that spot in the lineup. Grisham has gone deep three times over his last three games. The Yankees are a top lineup to target in DFS facing Pittsburgh southpaw Andrew Heaney.

New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (back) remains out of the starting lineup on Saturday when the Yankees continue a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bellinger was unable to play in the series opener due to back stiffness. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status leading up to Sunday's contest. As a result, Trent Grisham will remain in the starting lineup and cover center field. He will bat ninth. The Yankees acquired Bellinger in the offseason via trade from the Chicago Cubs. Through his first six games in the Bronx, Bellinger has tallied five total hits, with one home run and six RBI. Grisham has tallied four hits over his past two contests and holds an overall .462 AVG through the opening week of the campaign. He is a sneaky value play in DFS facing Pittsburgh southpaw Bailey Falter.

New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (back) is not in the starting nine when they start a three-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday afternoon. According to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, he is dealing with a stiff back. Bellinger has been in the starting lineup in each of the first six games of the campaign. However, the 29-year-old has hit a bit of a skid over his last four, tallying just one hit with a 2:5 BB:K. Over the first two games of the season, Bellinger tallied four hits which was highlighted a three-hit four RBI game on March 29. Instead, Trent Grisham will get the starting nod in center field and bat in the seven-hole. Fantasy managers should expect Bellinger to return to the starting nine on Saturday if he does not face a setback when they face Pittsburgh southpaw Bailey Falter. Grisham is worth a look as a value play in DFS as he tallied three hits with a home run on Thursday evening.

New York Yankees first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger had an enjoyable day at the plate during Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Bellinger started his day off great with a first inning home run off left-hander Nestor Cortes. They welcomed back Cortes nicely with four runs in the opening frame. Bellinger finished the game 3-for-5 with two singles and three runs scored. The hope is that Bellinger can be a legitimate force in the middle of the Yankees lineup this season.

New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger will bat behind Aaron Judge and be the team's primary No. 3 hitter in 2025, sources tell the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Bellinger has been swinging a hot bat in Grapefruit League play, going 17-for-36 (.472) with two home runs, five doubles, five RBI and 11 runs scored in 14 games played. In his first year in the Bronx, the 29-year-old left-handed slugger will take over starting duties in center field for the Bombers, which allows the Yanks to move MVP Aaron Judge back to right field. The two-time All-Star and former National League MVP has been able to stay afloat for fantasy managers despite his low rate of quality contact, thanks mostly to him being able to limit the strikeouts. Belly had 47 homers in 2019 and then tanked (injuries didn't help). He's had just one 20-homer season since then. While he's RotoBaller's No. 25 outfielder in a strong lineup, there's still plenty of volatility with Bellinger.

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone said on WFAN 660 on Tuesday that he will likely use outfielder Cody Bellinger in center field and outfield prospect Jasson Dominguez in left field in 2025. The Yankees can move Bellinger around as needed, including to play first base, while Boone would rather keep Dominguez in one spot in what will be his first full professional season in the majors. Paul Goldschmidt will be the Yankees' starting first baseman, but on days he's used as the designated hitter, Bellinger could slide to first. In addition to being the team's primary left fielder in 2025, Dominguez, along with infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr., will be an option to hit leadoff for the Bombers. Both Bellinger and Dominguez will be No. 3 outfield targets in fantasy, with Bellinger having a safer floor given his experience, but Dominguez certainly has the higher long-term ceiling.

New York Yankees' recent trade acquisition Cody Bellinger could play first base, left field, or center field for the Bombers, according to manager Aaron Boone, who said on Wednesday that a report that Bellinger was told he would play center field was "fake news." This means that top prospect Jasson Dominguez is still in play for the center-field job and leaves open the possibility of signing a first baseman, which could put Bellinger in left field. Nevertheless, it sounds like Aaron Judge will transition back to right field, regardless of what transpires. Bellinger himself has said he'll play wherever he's needed and to let the offseason play out. The lefty slugger is ranked right around 124 in early 2025 fantasy drafts, so we'll see how his new surroundings affect his ADP in the coming months.

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Chicago Cubs are trading first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees in exchange for right-handed pitcher Cody Poteet and cash. Bellinger has spent the past two seasons playing with the Cubs. After hitting 26 home runs in 2023, Bellinger took a slight step back last summer, tallying just 18 round-trippers. In addition, he carried a .266/.325/.426 line, which was also a decline from the .307/.356/.525 line he held in 2023. Under the hood, Bellinger generated an underwhelming 32.9% hard-hit rate with a poor .301 xwOBA. However, with the short porch in right field. Fantasy managers should expect Bellinger to see his home run numbers be more in line with 2023 production. Bellinger will likely see most of his starts in center field, which would move Aaron Judge back to right field. Cody Poteet will likely operate as a high-leverage option in the Chicago bullpen as he posted a solid 2.22 ERA and 1.07 WHIP but could see an occasional start as he did make four last summer.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that there is still a money gap in the trade talks for outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger with the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees. Heyman describes the situation as a matter of "who blinks first," if ever. A trade could still go down between the two clubs this winter, but the Yankees are also considering signing/trading for first baseman Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, Carlos Santana, Josh Naylor and Nathaniel Lowe, among others. The Cubs are even more willing to trade Bellinger and try to offload his contract after acquiring All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros last week. The 29-year-old Bellinger, a former MVP in 2019 with the Dodgers, came back to Earth in 2024 in Chicago after hitting over .300 with 26 homers in 2023. The left-handed hitter could be enticing in fantasy in the Bronx, but his poor contact numbers and high strikeout rate are cause for concern.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman writes that the New York Yankees are targeting Chicago Cubs outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger in a trade this offseason after failing to re-sign superstar outfielder Juan Soto. In addition to Bellinger, the Yankees could go after Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker or free agents Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso, Christian Walker and Anthony Santander. New York's emphasis for a position player is on third base, first base and outfield. Although the Yankees and Cubs remain far apart on money, they've made a bit of progress during the MLB winter meetings this week. Chicago is asking the Yankees to take on nearly the full $52.5 million Bellinger is due over the next couple years. Bellinger is a former MVP who would bring great defense at first base and would also be an insurance policy in center field in case prospect ... [More]

According to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score, Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger's trade market is heating up. Levine notes that since the Cubs have a surplus of outfield bats, this could open the door for the Cubs to shop Bellinger at the Winter Meetings. Currently, on their roster, the Cubs have multiple outfielders who are already established at the major league level, such as Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki, and several young outfield prospects, including Pete Crow-Armstrong, Owen Caissie, and Kevin Alcantara. Crow-Armstrong flashed a high upside late last summer as he posted a stellar .314 AVG in August with five doubles, four home runs, and six stolen bases. Bellinger was still very productive last season, holding a solid .266/.325/.426 slash line. However, with their top outfield prospect, Owen Caissie, knocking on the big league door, the Cubs may use this as an opportunity to trade Bellinger to find a player to improve another position on their roster. If Bellinger is moved out of the Northside, Caissie is a name to keep a close eye on during Spring Training as he could be a high-upside pick in late in drafts.

Despite being a cash cow in one of the largest markets in baseball, the Chicago Cubs are focusing on mid-market players this offseason and are probably out on outfielder Juan Soto and starting pitchers Corbin Burnes, Max Fried and Blake Snell. However, their plans could change if they are able to unload the bloated contract of first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger. They've been offering Bellinger to everyone, but so far, nobody has expressed much interest. Bellinger hit .266 with 18 home runs, 78 RBI and a .751 OPS in 2024 and is owed $27.5 million in 2025, $1.5 million more than Bryce Harper. He's guaranteed a minimum of $32.5 million through 2025 and $52.5 million if he stays through 2026. "Come on," one general manager said, "who's going to touch that contract? The risk is just too great for the production."

Rival executives are saying the Chicago Cubs want to trade first baseman/outfielder Cody Bellinger this offseason, but it might not be that easy. The 29-year-old has a remaining guarantee of $32.5 million -- $27.5 million in salary with $5 million in a potential buyout -- by choosing not to opt out of his deal. Bellinger could sacrifice his buyout and opt in for another $27.5 million in 2026. He was 11 percent above league average in OPS but wasn't as impactful in 2024 as he was in 2023. If the New York Yankees don't re-sign outfielder Juan Soto, Bellinger could be one of their options. However, the $32.5 million that Bellinger is guaranteed would mitigate the return. In order to trade the lefty slugger, Chicago might need to take back an inflated contract or accept marginal prospects in any deal. Bellinger hit .266 with 18 homers, 78 RBI and nine steals in 130 games for the Cubs in 2024.

Chicago Cubs first baseman and outfielder Cody Bellinger picked up his $27.5 million player option with Chicago on Saturday. He will not become a free agent this offseason and still has one player option remaining on his contract for 2026. Bellinger originally signed a three-year $80 million deal with the Cubs last offseason after flourishing during a "prove it" contract for the 2023 season. The lefty's second season with Chicago was less impressive, though he still posted a strong 111 OPS+. The 29-year-old's expected stats show a bit more concern, though, as his xwOBA for 2024 ranked in just the 32nd percentile. Dynasty managers may not want to make any moves quite yet, but they should certainly keep a close eye on Bellinger's production and temper expectations.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger (finger) is starting in right field and is batting cleanup for the Cubbies on Friday at Wrigley Field against the Toronto Blue Jays and rookie right-hander Yariel Rodriguez. Bellinger had been limited to designated-hitter duties for the Cubs since returning from a fractured middle finger on his left hand, but he's feeling good enough now to play defense. Since coming off the injured list on July 30, Bellinger has been swinging a hot bat, batting .320 (16-for-50) with three home runs, a double, nine RBI, a stolen base and nine runs scored in 13 games played. Bellinger returning to the outfield doesn't change much for fantasy managers; he should remain in starting lineups against Rodriguez, a pitcher he has yet to face in his career.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger (hamstring) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Chicago White Sox. The lefty slugger was held out of Wednesday's contest due to a minor hamstring issue. It seems that two days of rest has helped as Bellinger will serve as the designated hitter and bat cleanup versus lefty Garrett Crochet. Fantasy managers who have Bellinger rostered can get him back in their lineups on Friday.