Cody Bellinger exited Saturday’s game against the Phillies with a hamstring injury after legging out a double, and it’s a brutal blow for a Yankees offense already grinding hard with Aaron Judge on the shelf. This happened just when the reigning All-Star Game MVP was finally starting to heat up.
The Play That Changed Everything
Bellinger was having a decent day, going 2-for-4, before the incident. He ripped a single and tried to stretch it into a double, only to pull up uncomfortable as he slid into second. He stayed in as a baserunner for a bit, but the writing was on the wall. He was replaced between innings, and you could feel the concern brewing for manager Aaron Boone. After the win, Boone was pretty blunt, saying the injury “looks like it could be something.” That’s never what you want to hear, right? The team doesn’t know much more right now, but you know those tests are coming to figure out if it’s a full-blown strain.
Just When He Was Getting Hot Again
This injury stings even more because Bellinger had been struggling for a while. Yeah, he’s the reigning All-Star Game MVP, but his offensive numbers are definitely down from last season. He hit a dismal .183 in his last 22 games before the All-Star break, and the dude hasn’t hit a home run since June 17. That’s a serious power drought! But here’s the kicker: he had hits in seven of eight games since the break. He was finally finding his rhythm, starting to drive the ball, and now this. For the season, he’s sitting at 101 games played, a .257 average, 11 homers, 52 RBI, 95 hits, a .765 OPS, and a 3.6 WAR. He’s also a valuable defender, so his absence hurts on both sides of the ball. Max Schuemann stepped in for him, but replacing a guy who’s played all but two games this season is going to take a combination of players, and that’s not an easy fix.
Losing Bellinger for any extended period would be a difficult blow for that Yankees lineup. They’re already short on offense with Judge out, and Bellinger was one of the few bats showing signs of life. Everyone’s gotta be holding their breath waiting for those test results. It’s make-or-break time for a team that really needs its hitters to step up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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