The New York Yankees pivoted quickly after the Juan Soto heartbreak! First with Max Fried signing and now with another major deal around Cody Bellinger. The Chicago Cubs star was traded on Tuesday and is now Bronx-bound. The Yankees got $5 million in cash considerations and swiftly sent Cody Poteet across. But that aside, the Yankees are probably relying on Bellinger’s on-clutch performance, and defensive skills can fill in the gap left by Juan Soto. And this trade isn’t just business; it’s much more personal than that.

Cody Bellinger’s dad, Clay Bellinger, has been a famous name in the Bronx. He played for the Yankees in 181 games and won two World Series rings with them. Now, two decades later, his son will step into the same pinstripes as him, so, it’s a full-circle moment for the family. Plus, it’s something that Cody himself was looking forward to. Brian Cashman mentioned that Bellinger’s agent Scott Boras had told him that Cody’s desire to get into the Yankees was ‘driving him crazy.’ For Cody, the Yankees—feel like home, a place of familiarity; he even has a memory back from when he met Derek Jeter that he cannot forget.

Bellinger funny memory with Derek Jeter

A video of Cody Bellinger back from when he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers has resurfaced. In the seven-year-old video, the interviewer asked whether Bellinger, given his dad played for the Yankees, had any memory of being around Derek Jeter. And he said ‘yes’; narrating a funny story, Bellinger mentioned he was hitting in a cage with his game after a game, so, with Derek Jeter coming around and seeing Bellinger take a couple of swings, what he told him next was hilarious and classic Jeter!

Derek Jeter had said to Cody Bellinger, “You really don’t swing like your dad.” Well, even though Bellinger still doesn’t have two rings like his dad, he has scored 192 home runs. Meanwhile, his dad had scored 12; also, the best part: even Derek Jeter remembers Bellinger as a child. Years ago, Jeter recalled meeting Cody Bellinger for the first time. The 5x WS champion mentioned Glenn Sattell of MLB.com, “I remember him coming around the clubhouse when I was playing with his dad. It’s great to see the success that he’s had. I remember watching him when he was in the Little League World Series. Time flies.”

Now, Derek Jeter will get to watch Cody Bellinger suit up for the Yankees, and who knows, given he is a FOX analyst, Jeter might just find himself seated next to Bellinger, asking him about the World Series run this year—the Yankees sure do dream of it happening!

Cody Bellinger’s first message after joining the Bronx club

Cody Bellinger is not just a second-generation player but also the fourth father-son duo to play for the New York Yankees franchise. He wasted no time pledging his allegiance to the Bronx Bombers; in his first message post the trade, Bellinger took to Instagram to share an image of himself edited to wear pinstripes. Along with that photo, he added a message expressing his excitement for the challenge ahead. “Honored to wear the pinstripes, ready and excited to get to work!! Let’s goooooo #NY,” he mentioned, and not just Cody, but his dad, too, chimed in on Instagram.

In this nostalgic post, Clay Bellinger commented, “Wow!! Pretty cool and crazy at the same time. Might even be wearing the same number.” Of course, he was referring to jersey number 35, which is still not retired, and in fact, Cody Bellinger did wear the jersey back when he was with the Dodgers. So, was Clay Bellinger hinting to the New York Yankees about something?

Moreover, beyond all his sentimental value, Bellinger does bring practical benefits to the team. He is versatile and can play both center field and first base, and it addresses the Yankees’ weakness in defense—he could be the game-changing piece that the Yankees needed. So, do you think Cody Bellinger can make a difference in the New York Yankees’ dynamics? Let us know in the comments.