The New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs agreed to a commerce on Tuesday involving former Nationwide League Most Worthwhile Participant Award recipient Cody Bellinger. Bellinger will head to New York together with a piece of change to assist cowl his contract, whereas veteran right-hander Cody Poteet will make his option to Chicago.

As is the customized round CBS Sports activities, at any time when an enormous offseason swap occurs I chime in to provide the deal the commerce grades therapy. What does that entail? Amongst different issues: evaluation on every participant; ideas on the larger context surrounding the transfer; and an try to boil all of that down right into a single letter grade that’s, frankly, the least necessary if most obsessed about a part of the method. 

Earlier than delving into the grades, here is a recap of the commerce in entire:

• Yankees obtain: OF Cody Bellinger, $5 million
• Cubs obtain: RHP Cody Poteet

Now, let’s get to it.

Yankees: A

There are ample causes to be skeptical about what, precisely, Bellinger will carry to the desk subsequent season. He is had his OPS range, on a year-to-year foundation, by a minimum of 110 factors in every of the final seven seasons; he is not far faraway from being on his obvious final probability; his ball-tracking information continues to underwhelm regardless of above-average topline outcomes; and it is clear the Cubs could not gin up a frothing marketplace for his providers. All that acknowledged and accepted, the Yankees needed to take this layup of a deal.

Bellinger, 29, seems to be like a fantastic match for the Yankees roster in additional methods than one. Defensively, he’ll seemingly begin the season in heart subject, the place he is reliably graded as common or higher all through his profession. That not solely ought to enhance the Yankees protection, but in addition offers Aaron Choose a better defensive task. As an added bonus, Bellinger might simply slide to a nook (be it left/proper or first base) if wanted because the summer time burns on and workforce compositions change with accidents, promotions, and trades. 

The true draw right here for the Yankees is on the plate. Bellinger ought to profit from being a left-handed hitter with lift-and-pull tendencies enjoying his house video games in a ballpark that tends to reward the profile. As I beforehand famous, Statcast’s calculations had him including six house runs to final yr’s complete if he had repeated his batted ball outlay in Yankee Stadium. The right-world state of affairs right here sees Bellinger offering the Yankees with above-average defensive worth and phone chops in addition to 25 to 30 house runs. That is a tantalizing right-tail consequence that might end in a four-plus-win season.

Granted, the error bars on Bellinger are vast sufficient that you could’t make sure he’ll provide you with that form of displaying. It is extra possible that he settles in round one to 2 wins (and it is a minimum of potential he finishes beneath that given his historical past). There are roster-building conditions the place, if it isn’t potential so as to add sure excellence, it makes extra sense to roll the cube on potential excellence than sure averageness. The Yankees, of their try to exchange Juan Soto and return their ceiling to pennant contender, discover themselves in a type of conditions — notably at this price. 

Wherever you test in on the above chance will even dictate how you are feeling in regards to the probabilities that Bellinger workouts his participant choice for subsequent season (valued at $25 million). I feel it is truthful to jot down that the Yankees weren’t going to discover a participant with this type of upside on the free-agent marketplace for what could quantity to a one-year pact value $27.5 million. (That determine consists of the $5 million buyout on his choice yr.) 

If Bellinger craters once more, then this deal will look foolish on the grounds of the chance price at hand. However you’ll be able to’t let the potential of shadows deter you from having fun with the sunshine. The upside right here makes this a swing value taking for a Yankees workforce that may depend on solely so many extra elite years from Choose and Gerrit Cole. 

Cubs: B

The precise grade must be TBD, as in “to be decided,” however I really feel the Cubs will make a follow-up transfer or two that validates incomes a great grade right here on religion alone.

From the Cubs’ perspective, this deal is all in regards to the alternative price related to saving greater than $27 million this season into subsequent in monetary obligations. As soon as the Cubs obtained Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros, there was no obvious place for Bellinger in Chicago. It turned a matter of time (and wills) earlier than a deal was lined up.

With Bellinger’s cash out of the image, the Cubs’ projected Opening Day payroll is now round $160 million. For reference, final season they opened the yr at $214 million; the yr earlier than that, they sat at $184 million. I’ve to imagine that the Cubs now have a minimum of $20 million extra to spend between now and the spring. 

The extra fascinating matter is what that cash will go towards. The Cubs have been linked in current days to Miami Marlins left-hander Jesus Lúzardo, projected to earn $6 million via arbitration. They’ve additionally been tied to Seattle Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo (assured $22.75 million yearly the subsequent three seasons with a vesting choice for 2028). To not get too presumptuous right here, but it surely’s most likely truthful to mentally allocate a minimum of a piece of the financial savings towards a beginning pitcher. After that, who is aware of? Possibly the Cubs discover themselves concerned with the slow-to-develop nearer market.

I might be remiss to disregard that the Cubs did obtain an precise participant again, too.

Poteet, 30, has scattered 24 big-league appearances throughout the final 4 seasons. He has a full arsenal, together with two low-to-mid-90s fastballs and a few secondaries that grade properly within the eyes of pitch-quality metrics, and a brief stride that leads to a shallow launch level. He primarily has served as a starter within the minors, compiling a 3.92 ERA and a 3.27 strikeout-to-walk ratio in Triple-A in 2024. He nonetheless has minor-league choices remaining, suggesting he might serve in an up-and-down capability for the Cubs, be it as rotation depth or as somebody who can slot into the bullpen as wanted.