Yankees Not Concerned With Cody Bellinger's Recent Injury News

New York Yankees star outfielder Cody Bellinger is expected to miss the next couple of Spring Training games due to back discomfort, MLB.com's Bryan Hoch reported on Feb. 28.

Manager Aaron Boone told Hoch that Bellinger's "back went out on him" on Feb. 27 and has not played in the two most recent contests against the Minnesota Twins and the Toronto Blue Jays.

Bellinger's last appearance was in the Feb. 26 7-3 win over the Atlanta Braves, where he went 0-for-3 from the plate, all from fly outs.

"He’ll probably, I’m guessing, [miss] a couple of days,” Boone said via Hoch. "He’s quite a bit better today. So we don’t think it’s anything. The trainers aren’t too concerned about it.

“This is something that crops up on him every now and then, usually sometime in the spring or earlier in the year. We dealt with it a little bit in-season early last year.”

Bellinger's Injury History

Mar 16, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) looks on during the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Bellinger's back became a concern in April 2025 when the team was in Pittsburgh to face the Pirates. Hoch reported that Bellinger pointed to discomfort in his lower back and upper right hip.

“It’s just a little unaligned,” Bellinger said at the time, according to Hoch. “It creates a little bit of tightness. I’ve had it before multiple times. I just know it’s a few days thing.”

"It’s not something I want to mess with,” Boone also said then. “I don’t think it’s anything too big.”

It's unclear whether Bellinger's current back discomfort is related to his previous injury.

According to Bellinger's injury log, the previous back injury was the last setback he has experienced since joining the Yankees.

What This Means Going Forward

Oct 5, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) congratulates left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) after a two-run home run in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game two of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

It's never a good sign to see your 30-year-old star player dealing with what seems to be a recurring back injury after signing him to a five-year, $162.5 million deal. But the Yankees don't seem to be too worried

The good news is that the Yankees are expected to see Bellinger return in just two days on March 3. But this will be an injury to keep an eye on all season.

Bellinger seemed to recover well from his previous back injury, as he slashed .272/.334/.480, blasted 29 home runs with 98 RBIs and played 152 games in 2025.

Bellinger's back discomfort could benefit fringe Opening Day roster outfielders like Spencer Jones and Jasson Domínguez.

The Yankees now have two outfielders dealing with injuries. The other is Giancarlo Stanton, who has been dealing with tennis elbows in both arms. His expected return is the same as Bellinger's on March 3.

If the injuries persist with Stanton and Bellinger, then that could present more opportunity for the youngsters Jones and Domínguez.

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