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Since joining the New York Yankees over the winter, outfielder Cody Bellinger has proved to be just as good, if not better, than his predecessor Juan Soto. The 29-year-old was acquired by the Yankees just six days after Soto spurned them for a historic contract with their rivals across town. Since then, Bellinger has plugged the gap left by Soto capably while his offence has taken an upward swing.
As expected, Yankee Stadium echoed with boos directed at Juan Soto when the game got under way on Friday. Carlos Rodon and the Yankees bullpen managed to limit the Mets to two runs on the night, with Soto not picking up a single hit. On the other hand, Bellinger extended his hitting streak to eleven games, continuing to show glimpses of his best self.
When he moved to New York, Bellinger was very much aware of the news surrounding Soto's free agency and has now opened up about his mindset ahead of the season (via NY Times):
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“I understood what was going on. But I’ve never tried to replace him. I’m always trying to be the best version of myself, every single day.”
While Soto had a slow start to the season with the Mets, Cody Bellinger himself suffered through an early-season slump. However, his numbers have improved recently, boasting a .314 average this month while his OPS is up to .711. More importantly, he has backed up Aaron Judge well as the slugger maintains pace for another MVP season.
Cody Bellinger opens up on his hitting streak after winning Game 1 of his first Subway Series
New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger played his first Subway Series on Friday evening and put in an impressive performance. The former NL MVP went 3-for-5 against the New York Mets, taking his hitting streak to 11 games. After the game, Bellinger opened up about his streak, saying (via YES Network):
"I'm feeling good with my mechanics and everything. Ultimately, just continue swinging at the right pitches, having a good plan. Just preparing every day to try to help this team win."
This was Bellinger's first three-hit game since March 29, displaying his improvement in the past two weeks. With the first quarter of the MLB season played, he is hitting a .242 average with five home runs and 21 RBIs. In light of his recent form, Yankees fans will be hoping Bellinger continues in the upward trajectory for the rest of the season.
