The New York Yankees have had no real issues overcoming the loss of superstar right fielder Juan Soto in the early going of the 2025 season.
Their offense has been prolific over their first nine games of the season, leading MLB with 76 runs and 25 homers.
As expected, reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge is leading the way. Based on his historic start, he doesn’t appear to be missing Soto too much.
While much of the Yankees’ lineup is thriving, one player still looking to find his groove is veteran newcomer Cody Bellinger.
Through seven games and 32 plate appearances, he’s batting just .231 with one home run, six RBI and a .627 OPS.
Part of his early struggles could be attributed to a back ailment that caused him to miss the first two games of last weekend’s series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He returned for the series finale, but went 1-for-5 with a run and a strikeout in New York’s 5-4 loss in extra innings.
While Bellinger’s start has been disappointing, there’s reason to believe the 2019 NL MVP will turn the corner soon.
Per Eno Sarris of The Athletic (subscription required), Bellinger has increased his average swing speed from 69.1 mph last year to 71.6 mph this year — the fifth-largest year-over-year jump in Sarris’ dataset entering Sunday’s games.
Going from a below-average swing speed to a slightly above-average one should help boost Bellinger’s numbers, especially in the power department. Faster bat speed typically translates to harder-hit balls, which are more likely to become extra-base hits.
“Bellinger is no Juan Soto,” Sarris writes, “but if he can hit 25 homers again — and his new bat speed says he could — he’ll help make up for that loss.”
Replacing a hitter of Soto’s caliber is impossible, but the 29-year-old Bellinger can still be an All-Star-caliber player when healthy. Look no further than 2023, when he won a Silver Slugger, cracked 26 homers and finished 10th in the NL MVP race with 4.8 WAR for the Chicago Cubs.
If the Yankees can get similar production from him this year, they’ll be thrilled. He’s been wildly inconsistent throughout his career, but he’s still capable of anchoring a lineup when he’s right.
If Bellinger maintains his improved bat speed and takes advantage of Yankee Stadium’s short porch in right field, he could be headed for a big rebound campaign.
