Yankees in a battle with star free agent

Outfielder Cody Bellinger is a free agent, and the New York Yankees are reportedly interested in him.

However, a recent report suggests they may have a problem with the former MVP.

After agreeing to a one-year contract with the Chicago Cubs during the offseason, Bellinger had a spectacular comeback season. In addition to winning a Silver Slugger award and placing 10th in the NL MVP voting, he batted.307 with 29 doubles, 26 home runs, and an.881 OPS.

However, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports, Bellinger’s hard-hit rate worries some Yankees.

The Yankees may believe that part of Bellinger’s high batting average was luck-related if they are worried about his hard-hit rate. Hard hits on the ball are typically a reliable indicator of a player’s ability to produce hits.

Early in his career, Bellinger got off to a fantastic start. With the Dodgers, he was named NL Rookie of the Year in 2017 and won NL MVP two years later. That season, he hit 47 home runs with a 1.035 OPS, won a Gold Glove, and more. But over the next three years, Bellinger’s batting average completely collapsed. In 2020, Bellinger batted.239; in 2021,.165; and in 2022,.210.