Three Outfielders Yankees Can Target in a Trade After Cody Bellinger’s Injury

The injury bug continues to terrorize the Yankees, and Cody Bellinger is the latest key player to find himself making a trip to the IL. Bellinger sustained a hamstring injury while trying to leg out a double against the Phillies on Sunday, and Aaron Boone told reporters Monday that Bellinger would be out for at least a month.

Bellinger’s hamstring strain will keep him sidelined for four to six weeks, as New York has lost another player from an already thin group of outfielders. With Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge also on the shelf, Bellinger’s injury may force the Yankees to look to the trade market to find a replacement.

The Yankees are in dire need of a right-handed bat. If they’re able to get a deal done for an outfielder who hits from the right side of the plate, they’d be killing two birds with one stone at the deadline. The market isn’t bustling with available right-handed hitters, however. The Red Sox had to part ways with Connelly Early to land Curtis Mead in their deal with the Nationals, so the reality may be that Brian Cashman isn’t comfortable meeting the asking price of teams dangling right-handed outfielders on the market.

Still, the Yankees will almost certainly explore the options available at the deadline, lest they feel confident enough to roll with Spencer Jones and Jasson Dominguez as they await reinforcements. There are a few right-handed outfielders who could be available that would make a ton of sense. We’ll look at three potential replacements for Bellinger who would be strong fits for the Yankees.

MORE: MLB Trade Candidate Rankings, Deadline Predictions 2.0

Lane Thomas

Royals outfielder Lane Thomas would be a great addition for the Yankees. He’s a patient hitter with a good eye at the plate, and he’s a solid defender, too. This season, Thomas is slashing .230/.327/.400 with 10 home runs, 37 RBIs and six stolen bases in 92 games. He’d be an suitable replacement for Bellinger in the lineup in the short term, and could be a valuable bench bat once Bellinger is ready to return. He hits lefties a bit better than righties (.799 OPS vs LHP against a .676 OPS vs. RHP), so a platoon is possible. Thomas is a versatile outfielder who has played in all three outfield positions this year. He’s also on a one-year deal, so he’d be a pure rental option and likely wouldn’t cost too much to acquire.

Seiya Suzuki

Suzuki is in the final year of his contract with the Cubs and could be a fit for the Yankees if they’re willing to meet Chicago’s asking price. The Cubs are in dire need of pitching, so it’s possible a trade could be reached that involves a near-MLB-ready pitching prospect, such as Ben Hess or Chase Hampton, heading the other way. Suzuki would be a more expensive option than Thomas, but he also provides more offensively.

In ‘26, Suzuki owns a .827 OPS with 18 home runs, 58 RBIs and 55 runs scored. He’s hit 20-plus home runs in each of the last three seasons, including a career-high 32 last year. Suzuki fits best in a corner outfield position, so the Yankees could realistically deploy him in right field while continuing to utilize Trent Grisham in center field, at least until Bellinger is ready to return. Suzuki ranks eighth among all right-handed hitters in MLB with 18 home runs, and he’s 10th among righties in OPS, making him an ideal fit for a team that’s seeking more prowess on that side of the plate. The Cubs may be hesitant to part ways with him, given they’re still very much competing for the postseason, but if it means enhancing a depleted pitching rotation, it may be a move Chicago is willing to make.

Taylor Ward

An inter-division trade may be hard for the Yankees to pull off, but with Ward set to hit free agency after the season, the Orioles may be looking to recoup some value for him. Last year with the Angels, Ward hit 36 home runs and recorded 103 RBIs, both career highs. His slugging numbers have diminished significantly in Baltimore, however, as he’s hit just seven homers with 27 RBIs in 105 games this year.

The 32-year-old does have an elite 16.8% walk rate, which ranks in the 98th percentile in MLB, and his .386 OBP this season is the highest mark of his career. Ward also crushes left-handed pitching. He owns a .864 OPS against southpaws this year, versus a .700 against righties. If the Orioles are selling at the trade deadline, which is no guarantee considering how wide open the American League wild-card race is, the Yankees should certainly check in on his availability, as he could be a valuable addition to the lineup, and could lock down left field in the absence of Judge and Bellinger.

More MLB from Sports Illustrated

Add us as a preferred source on Google