As if the Yankees lineup wasn’t already fighting an uphill battle with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton still sidelined, they’ll now be without Cody Bellinger at least for the next 10 days. Bellinger has been placed on the injured list after leaving Saturday’s win over the Phillies with a hamstring injury.
Bellinger was set to undergo testing today, and while we don’t know the results yet, the Yankees felt strongly enough about his need to take a step back that they quickly placed him on the IL. This move avoids the team potentially going one or two games with a missing bat in the active roster. Individually and subsequently for the Yankees as well, this injury comes at an inopportune time, as Bellinger had been one of the team’s better hitters of late. The former MVP was in the midst of a six-game hitting streak, also recording at least one in 11 of his last 12 games — though he still oddly hadn’t gone deep since June 17th.
With Bellinger on the shelf, the Yankees outfield gets younger by calling up Spencer Jones, returning to the big leagues after just a few days. Jones was called up as the 27th man in the doubleheader against the Pirates earlier this week, starting as the DH and going 0-for-3 with a walk in a 5-3 loss. Having played mostly center with some right in his brief time in the majors this season, Jones could potentially get an extended look in left for the first time since Trent Grisham is normally in center and Jasson Domínguez is better suited to right (Jones has at least played 20 minor-league games in left across the last couple seasons). They could alternatively stick Grisham at DH and put Jones in center. Utilityman José Caballero and bench player Max Schuemann have also both seen time in outfield corners as well.
Through 31 games, Jones has a .669 OPS in the big leagues this season, hitting just a couple homers in 86 plate appearances. Although he was a little sharper in his second longer recall (.815 OPS in 55 PA), he has yet to truly bring the best he can offer, and he’s now in the spotlight at a crucial time with the Trade Deadline looming — with both his and Domínguez’s names floated in recent rumors.
