Cody Bellinger’s Remarkable Night at the All-Star Game

In Philadelphia, Cody Bellinger enjoyed a memorable evening as his young daughters sat nearby and his father watched proudly from the back. Bellinger had just won the All-Star Game’s Most Valuable Player award. ‘Just being able to hang out and watching him win an award, it’s pretty cool,’ said his father, former Yankee Clay Bellinger. Cody’s two-run single in the first inning off Cristopher Sánchez helped the American League achieve a 4-0 victory on Tuesday night.

Cody Bellinger re-signed with the Yankees last winter, securing a $162.5 million deal over five years. He has become a key component of the Yankees’ offense. Mid-June saw him hitting .280 before a slump caused his average to fall to .254 by the All-Star break. Notably, he has not hit a home run in a month.

Cody and his father, Clay Bellinger, share a special bond through baseball. ‘Baseball is the craziest game in the world. Sometimes it’s unexplainable,’ Cody said. Despite a downturn heading into the break, he felt optimistic about his direction. Clay Bellinger, a former Yankees player from 1999 to 2001 and a winner of two World Series titles, concluded his major league career with the Anaheim Angels in 2002. Cody was just five years old when Clay celebrated his second World Series victory. ‘I knew he was good, but not this good,’ Clay admitted. Cody has become the fourth Yankees player to earn the All-Star Game MVP, joining the ranks of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Giancarlo Stanton.

‘Wearing this jersey — I feel proud wearing it,’ Cody said. He emphasized the significance that comes with it. Turning 31 on his recent birthday, Cody was a fourth-round pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013 and made the All-Star team in 2017, when he was also voted NL Rookie of the Year. He hit 47 homers in 2019 and was voted NL MVP after making his second All-Star team. Reflecting on his journey, he said, ‘I was, like, ‘Oh, I’ll be here every year.’ It took a long time to get back. It’s such a competitive league.’

Cody faced challenges with three consecutive subpar seasons and injuries in 2021. After being cut in 2022, he signed a $17.5 million, one-year contract with the Cubs and hit a career-high .307 with 29 homers and 97 RBIs. After testing free agency, he returned to the Yankees. Cody values his time with the Yankees, as Clay noted, ‘He loves it there. He loves the teammates, loves the city, loves playing in Yankee Stadium. So, it was kind of a no-brainer.’

His daughters, Caiden and Cy, accompanied him alongside his wife, Chase, for photos after receiving the award from Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt. Clay expressed the universal wish of parents for their children’s success, ‘You always hope for your kids to do well, whether or not it’s playing baseball or doing whatever they like to do. He’s been pretty good at it for quite a long time.’