The Yankees reportedly have interest in free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger, but according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, there is one particular concern when it comes to the former MVP and Rookie of the Year.
Per Heyman, the Yanks are concerned about Bellinger’s hard-hit rate, which ranked in just the 10th percentile last season. Bellinger didn’t make much hard contact in 2023, but he still managed to hit 26 homes runs and bat .307 with an .881 OPS in a major bounceback campaign.
While Bellinger’s hard-hit rate dropped seven percent from the year before, and 14 percent from his MVP season in 2019, he cut down his strikeout rate 12 percent from 2022. He is seen as a perfect fit for the Yankees, with his lefty swing in the Bronx and his defensive ability in the outfield.
There will be other options, like Juan Soto in a potential trade, but Bellinger will be a candidate for the Yanks, if they look past the hard-hit rate.