The subway series that had Aaron Judge and Juan Soto on the field lacked some of the star players. However, it was Cody Bellinger’s moment, making the rivalry feel quite engaging.
Over the course of three games that weekend, Bellinger had 14 plate appearances but was retired four times. Yet, he saved his best performance for just the right moment. His grand slam in the eighth inning sealed an 8-2 victory for the Yankees against the Mets in the Bronx on Sunday.
“I thought it was a lot of fun,” Bellinger said, reflecting on his long-standing rivalry with the Dodgers and Giants. “There was definitely more energy in the stadium with both sets of fans from New York. I really enjoyed that.”
He had a pivotal eight innings in the game. While Jorvit Vivas managed to deal with Lynn Stanek, Pete Alonso made a play at the plate. After four Yankees reached base, Bellinger faced off against left-handed Genesis Cabrera.
He connected with an inside 4-seamer, launching a fly ball that matched his mental image from the offseason when the Yankees traded for him from the Cubs.
The Yankees have a unique need for left-handed hitters able to crank the ball into the air, and Bellinger’s hit, which barely cleared Soto’s jumping reach at 356 feet, translated into a home run for Yankee Stadium—something that would only occur in a few MLB parks, including Steinbrenner Field, as per Statcast.
“I saw it a lot,” Bellinger remarked, “thinking I’m just trying to make solid contact.” And he certainly did.
His impressive six-RBI performance tied a personal best, starting with a two-run double off Mets pitcher Huascar Brazobán in the seventh and including two walks, giving him five times on base throughout the game.
His OPS, which sat at .610 earlier in May, skyrocketed to .789 thanks to his recent hot streak.
When he struggled in April, he realized he had been swinging at too many pitches outside the strike zone.
“At first, I felt like I was trying too hard,” Bellinger admitted, contrasting that with how he felt about his swings over the past few games.
“He’s working on the pitches he needs to focus on, and his balance is right where it should be,” manager Aaron Boone noted. “I think it’s really that straightforward.”
