NEW YORK -- Cody Bellinger and the Yankees have been linked for some time, and it turns out some of those flames were fanned by the player himself. General manager Brian Cashman confirmed as much on Wednesday, barely 24 hours after the outfielder/first baseman was acquired from the Cubs.

"He’s someone that wants to be here,” Cashman said. “I've been hearing it for a long time, including his agent Scott Boras saying, ‘Can you get him over here? He's driving me crazy. He wants to be a Yankee.’ That’s not why I did it; ultimately, I did it because it’s a fit.”

Bellinger’s wish was granted on Tuesday, as the Yankees made their first significant offensive addition of the offseason, with Bellinger arriving from the Cubs along with cash considerations in exchange for right-hander Cody Poteet.

According to a source, the Yankees are receiving $5 million to offset Bellinger’s contract, which has two years and $52.5 million remaining. That includes a $25 million option for 2026 that can be bought out for $5 million.

TRADE DETAILS
Yankees receive: OF/1B Cody Bellinger, $5 million
Cubs receive: RHP Cody Poteet

The 2019 National League MVP with the Dodgers, Bellinger has been on the Bombers’ radar for years, but their efforts to acquire the 29-year-old intensified following Juan Soto’s decision to cross borough lines and join the Mets ahead of the recent Winter Meetings.

Cashman said that the Yankees were told that Bellinger would be traded by the end of business on Tuesday; he declined to name the other interested team, but it is believed that the Yankees outbid the Blue Jays for Bellinger’s services.

“If we didn’t pull him down, he would have been off the board,” Cashman said.

It marked the Yanks’ second trade of the week, having acquired right-handed closer Devin Williams from the Brewers on Friday. They also formally introduced left-hander Max Fried at a Yankee Stadium news conference on Wednesday afternoon, continuing their pivot to the "Plan B" of a post-Soto era.

“Missing out on Juan stung, and we obviously tried to bring him back,” manager Aaron Boone said. “But what Cash has been able to do so far, there’s different ways to do it. The moves we’ve made, I’m really excited about. I feel like we’re on our way.”

A two-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger and one-time Gold Glove Award recipient (2019), Bellinger is likely to take over in center field, which would allow Aaron Judge to return to right field after playing most of this past year in center to accommodate Soto.

Boone said that a report indicating Bellinger had already been told he would be the center fielder was “fake news.”

“The one thing he told me, before I even broached the subject, he’s like, ‘By the way, don’t worry about where you play me. I’ll play wherever,’” Boone said.

It is possible that Bellinger could also see time in left field or at first base, which would offer top prospect Jasson Domínguez an opportunity for playing time in center field. Cashman said Wednesday that he would like to see Domínguez earn a job this coming spring.

“[Bellinger is] a very good fit because it allows us a lot of flexibility,” Cashman said. “He’s an above-average athlete. He’s an above-average defender at first, above-average defender in the outfield. He can run the bases extremely well, and his swing is built for Yankee Stadium.”

Yes, from an offensive standpoint, the left-handed Bellinger projects as a powerful fit, especially playing half of his games in the Bronx (plus, as Cashman pointed out, additional road games against the Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field, which has the same dimensions).

Last season with the Cubs, Bellinger slashed .266/.325/.426 (111 OPS+), producing 23 doubles, 18 homers and 78 RBIs in 130 games.

Over his eight-year career with the Dodgers (2017-22) and Cubs ('23-24), Bellinger has compiled a .259/.334/.484 slash line (120 OPS+), with 186 doubles, 196 homers and 597 RBIs.

“I really believe he’s going to play up offensively in our yard, and I think we’re getting a great person to add to the room,” Boone said.

Poteet, 30, went 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA in five games (four starts) for the Yankees this past season. Over parts of three Major League campaigns with the Marlins (2021-22) and Yankees ('24), Poteet has posted a 3.80 ERA in 24 career games.

Of course, Bellinger carries something of a Yankees pedigree: his father, Clay, was a utility man on the dynasty-era clubs of the late 1990s, winning two World Series rings.

Now, finally, the younger Bellinger will have his chance to try on the pinstripes. They will become the fourth father-son duo to play for the Yankees, joining Mark Leiter and Mark Leiter Jr., Ron and Ike Davis, and Yogi and Dale Berra.

“I did ask him, ‘What does Clay think?’” Cashman said. “He said Clay was being cool, calm and collected, but he told me, ‘He’s definitely really excited for it.’”