Cody Bellinger delivered a performance that had Yankee fans dreaming big on Saturday, powering New York to a convincing 9-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. The slugger finished the day with four hits and four RBIs, including two home runs that silenced any lingering questions about his place in the Bronx.
The Yankees entered this season with plenty of debate surrounding their roster approach. Many questioned the "run it back" mentality and whether committing to Bellinger long-term was the right move. For one afternoon at least, that decision looked like a masterstroke.
New York got things started early when Trent Grisham drew a patient walk to lead off the game. Though that opportunity fizzled, Bellinger wasted no time making his presence felt. He led off the second inning with a porch job that set the tone for his monster day at the plate.
Bellinger kept the pressure on in the third, lacing a bloop double to drive in another run. The Yankees weren't done there, as Grisham and Bellinger teamed up again to add crucial insurance runs later in the game.
On the mound, the story was a bit more complicated for Baltimore. Ryan Weathers surrendered a solo shot to Pete Alonso—hardly a black mark given Alonso's reputation as one of the game's premier power hitters. But the other two runs charged to Weathers came on a defensive miscue when José Caballero failed to cover second base. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Jake Bird entered and struggled, making the line look worse than Weathers' actual performance deserved.
Weathers' approach was interesting to watch. He's at his best when leaning on his breaking and offspeed stuff, using the fastball more as a change of pace. The problem? That strategy only works when hitters respect those secondary pitches enough to chase them. When the command isn't sharp enough to keep the ball in the zone or even the shadow zone, batters can simply spit on anything with spin and wait for a better offering.
Weathers managed just two walks, but consistently found himself deep in counts, never quite able to put hitters away when it mattered. For the Yankees, that was all the opening they needed. And for Bellinger, it was another reminder of why the Bombers invested in him in the first place.