Cody Bellinger’s Old Line on How Jose Altuve ‘Stole’ MVP From Aaron Judge Resurfaces

National League outfielder Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers greets American League outfielder Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees after the second round during the 2017 MLB Home Run Derby at Marlins Park on July 10, 2017. | Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees on Tuesday continued their furious upgrade after losing the Juan Soto sweepstakes to the New York Mets, as the club acquired two-time All-Star and 2019 National League MVP Cody Bellinger in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. Bellinger, who plays two positions (first base and center field) the Yankees desperately need upgrades at, has a left-handed swing made for Yankee Stadium, and whose father won a pair of World Series titles in the Bronx in the 1990s, would seem to be a perfect fit for the pinstripes.

But Bellinger might just be a perfect fit for the Yankees for another reason. Shortly after news of the trade broke, an old interview of Bellinger from February of 2020 resurfaced, when the then-Los Angeles Dodgers star was very critical of the Houston Astros for their sign-stealing scandal, which had come to light in December of 2019, leading to discipline from MLB in January of 2020.