As the New York Mets look for ways to improve their lineup around Juan Soto and guys like Francisco Lindor, it could have an impact on the New York Yankees.
The Mets have shown interest in Cody Bellinger, but it remains uncertain what level of interest there really is.
In a recent report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Mets see Bellinger as an ideal piece in maximizing Soto’s impact offensively.
“The Mets like Bellinger not only for their focus on run prevention, but for added lineup protection for Juan Soto (no one can fully protect someone as great as Soto, of course, but Bellinger’s the best, most obvious hope),” he wrote.
As Heyman touched on, Soto is going to get pitched around, no matter who hits behind him, but the Mets understand that who is around him is important.
Adding Bellinger immediately makes those decisions harder for opposing teams. They can’t simply work around Soto if there’s a proven left-handed power bat waiting to do damage a hitter or two behind Soto and Lindor.
Defensively, Bellinger fits what the Mets have wanted. His versatility across the outfield and at first base adds value in multiple ways.
This also speaks to how seriously the Mets are building around Soto and Lindor. Rather than treating them as standalone superstars, they’re clearly focused on giving them support, something that was lacking at times last year.
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