Philadelphia saw a special night for Cody Bellinger, as he was surrounded by family after being named the MVP of the All-Star Game. His daughters sat beside him, and his father, Clay Bellinger, watched from the back. Clay, a former Yankee, expressed his pride in Cody’s performance, noting the significance of winning the award. Cody’s two-run single during the first inning off Cristopher Sánchez was pivotal in leading the American League to a 4-0 victory.
Cody Bellinger rejoined the Yankees last winter with a $162.5 million, five-year contract. He has been crucial to the team’s offense despite a mid-season slump, where his batting average dropped from .280 to .254 by the All-Star break. His father-son relationship with Clay, a former Yankee player with World Series titles, is strengthened through their shared love for baseball.
Baseball is the craziest game in the world. It really is. Sometimes it’s unexplainable.
Clay reflected on Cody’s unpredicted success, noting his son’s talent surpassing expectations. Cody became the fourth Yankees player to earn the All-Star Game MVP title, joining the likes of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Giancarlo Stanton. Displaying the MVP trophy after the game in Philadelphia, Cody spoke about the pride that comes with wearing the Yankees jersey.
Cody, who recently turned 31, was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fourth round in 2013. He enjoyed early career success, making the All-Star team in 2017 and winning the NL Rookie of the Year award. In 2019, he hit 47 home runs, earned the NL MVP title, and made his second All-Star team. However, the journey had downfalls with injuries affecting his performance in subsequent years. Despite challenges, including a cut from the Dodgers, he secured a $17.5 million contract with the Cubs, improved his performance, and subsequently signed an $80 million contract before moving to the Yankees.
Clay noted Cody’s affinity for New York, enjoying both the team and the city atmosphere, ultimately leading to his decision to remain with the Yankees. Cody’s family, including his daughters Caiden and Cy, along with his wife Chase, joined him on the field to celebrate the MVP award, handed by Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt.
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.