With his father – former big leaguer Clay Bellinger – in attendance, the New York Yankees player earned MVP honours.
Published On 15 Jul 2026
Cody Bellinger had a night to remember.
His young daughters sat beside him while his father watched from the back of the room as he spoke of winning the MLB All‑Star Game’s Most Valuable Player award.
“Just being able to hang out and watch him win an award is pretty cool,” former Yankee Clay Bellinger said after his son’s two‑run single in the first inning off Cristopher Sanchez powered the American League to a 4‑0 win on Tuesday night.
Cody re‑signed with the Yankees last winter for a $162.5 million, five‑year contract and has become a key offensive contributor. He was batting .280 through mid‑June before a slump dropped his average to .254 heading into the All‑Star break, and he has not hit a home run in a month.
“Baseball is the craziest game in the world,” he said. “It really is, and sometimes it’s unexplainable. Going into the break, I was feeling pretty good and thought I was on the right track.”
Clay Bellinger played as an outfielder and infielder for the Yankees from 1999 to 2001, winning two World Series titles, before concluding his Major League career with the Anaheim Angels in 2002.
Cody was five years old when his father captured his second World Series title, and Clay never imagined the player Cody would become.
“I knew he was good, but not this good,” Clay said.
‘Took a long time to get back’
Cody became the fourth Yankees player to capture the All‑Star Game MVP award, joining Derek Jeter (2000), Mariano Rivera (2013) and Giancarlo Stanton (2022).
“Wearing this jersey makes me proud,” he said. “It comes with a lot of responsibility.”
Bellinger, who turned 31 on Monday, was a fourth‑round draft pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013 and earned his first All‑Star selection in 2017, when he was named NL Rookie of the Year. He hit 47 home runs in 2019 and was voted the NL MVP after making his second All‑Star team.
“I thought, ‘I’ll be here every year,’” he said. “It took a long time to get back, and the league is fiercely competitive.”
He then endured three consecutive struggling seasons, missing time in 2021 due to calf, hamstring and rib injuries. After being released following the 2022 season, he signed a $17.5 million, one‑year contract with the Cubs.
Bellinger posted a career‑high .307 batting average with 29 home runs and 97 RBIs, became a free agent, and signed an $80 million, three‑year contract with the Cubs. After a subpar, injury‑affected season, he was traded to the Yankees.
He tested the free‑agent market but ultimately chose to remain with the Yankees.
“He loves it there,” Clay said. “He loves the teammates, the city, and playing in Yankee Stadium. It was kind of a no‑brainer.”
His daughters Caiden and Cy, together with his wife Chase, joined Cody on the field for photos after he accepted the award from Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt.
“You always hope for your kids to do well, whether it’s playing baseball or pursuing whatever they love,” Clay said. “Cody has been pretty good at it for quite a long time.”
