The New York Yankees managed to knock down the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night with a 5-1 victory, but they’re still in deep water.
One insider pointed to Cody Bellinger, who has been navigating a brutal slump in recent weeks.
Yankees’ Insiders Open Up on Cody Bellinger
GettyCody Bellinger of the New York Yankees is one of many players navigating a slump on offense
According to Chad Jennings of The Athletic on July 7, 30-year-old Bellinger is New York’s MLB All-Star player representative.
Despite this marking his third All-Star nod in his career, he, too, has been on a downward spiral.
“The Yankees are very good — one of the best teams in baseball — but they’ve been awful lately. And that’s Bellinger,” Jennings wrote. “An All-Star for the first time since 2019, Bellinger has built upon a strong 2025 season to produce a top-30 fWAR this season, but he entered Monday night’s game hitting just .121 with one RBI in his past 16 games, a stretch during which the Yankees went just 4-12 to fall out of first place in the American League East.”
So far this season, Bellinger is slashing .248/.344/.421 with a .765 OPS and 11 homers through 88 games.
By the end of his 2025 campaign, he slashed .272/.334/.480 with a .814 OPS and 29 home runs through 152 games.
In June, he smacked three home runs, but has yet to post any in July.
Bellinger is certainly not alone in his offensive slump — this has been the theme of the Yankees over the past few weeks.
However, Monday’s victory was a step in the right direction and could provide the ballclub with the confidence it’s been needing.
Bellinger’s MLB Career
GettyCody Bellinger of the New York Yankees has played an illustrious MLB career over the years
Bellinger is in the midst of his 10th season playing Major League Baseball.
He started his journey with the Los Angeles Dodgers after they selected him 124th overall in the fourth round of the 2013 draft.
He made his debut in April 2017.
The veteran slugger spent six years with the franchise before signing with the Chicago Cubs, with whom he played for two seasons.
It wasn’t until December 2024 that the Cubs traded him to New York in exchange for 31-year-old right-hander Cody Poteet.
In January 2026, Bellinger agreed to a significant five-year, $162.5 million deal with the Yankees.
In doing so, he became one of six hitters to land nine-figure deals across the Major Leagues during that offseason, as reported by Thomas Harrigan of MLB.com on June 16.
Despite his recent struggles at the plate, Bellinger remains an essential player for the franchise.
Looking at the Yankees Right Now
Aaron Boone and the New York Yankees are looking to improve their record this week
Now that they have ended their losing skid, New York has an opportunity to clinch a series victory over the Rays.
But Tampa Bay leads the AL East 52-36 overall — sweeping the four-game set is no easy undertaking.
Their next clash is on the board for Tuesday, July 7, at 6:40 p.m. ET.
The Yankees are currently riding a 50-40 overall record; they’re looking to improve it this week.
New York Yankees Insiders Deliver Harsh Truth on Cody Bellinger Amid Rays Series