Cody Bellinger won’t be available for the first game of the series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, which marks the New York Yankees’ third set of games in the 2025 MLB season. Manager Aaron Boone broke the unfortunate news just hours before the game.
According to Boone, Bellinger is sidelined due to a stiff back, an issue that began the night during the Yankees’ final game against the Diamondbacks on April 3. Boone emphasized that they don’t want Bellinger to rush his recovery, choosing to keep him out of the lineup for the series opener against the Pirates.
In his most recent outing, Bellinger contributed only one run and struck out twice against the Diamondbacks. He posted a .238 batting average and a .296 on-base percentage. So far this season, Bellinger has one home run and six RBIs for the Bombers.
How many games has Bellinger missed in 2025?
This will be the first game Bellinger has missed during the Yankees’ 2025 season. He played in all six of the team’s previous games, particularly standing out in the series against the Brewers, where he hit his first home run of the season in what’s been his most productive game so far.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 02: Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees hits a single in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Yankee Stadium on April 02, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the New York Yankees 4-3. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Bellinger’s 2025 Projections
The outlook for Bellinger in 2025 is promising. According to Baseball Reference, he’s expected to have at least 540 plate appearances with the Yankees, marking yet another season reaching that milestone, as he did in three consecutive years while with the Dodgers and Cubs.
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Beyond plate appearances, Bellinger is projected to contribute 128 hits, 20 home runs, a .262 batting average, and a .764 OPS—numbers that could play a key role in helping the Yankees go as far as possible this season, potentially even reaching another World Series.
