Cody Bellinger (31, New York Yankees), whose Major League Baseball (MLB) career has been a rollercoaster ride since his debut, was crowned the star of stars at the MLB All-Star Game he participated in for the first time in seven years.
It took a long time for him to return to the pinnacle after his dazzling early years when he swept the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards.
On Wednesday, Bellinger started as the eighth batter and right fielder for the American League All-Stars in the 2026 MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He drove in the game-winning runs with a two-run batted in (RBI) hit in the first inning, leading his team to a 4-0 victory.
In this pitcher-dominated All-Star Game, no player recorded multiple hits, making Bellinger’s clutch hit the most impactful of the night.
With the bases loaded and two outs in a scoreless first inning, Bellinger ripped a sinker from National League All-Star starter Cristopher Sanchez (Philadelphia Phillies) for a two-run single.
After the game, Bellinger was awarded the All-Star Game MVP honors.
He became the fourth Yankee to win the All-Star Game MVP, following Derek Jeter (2020), Mariano Rivera (2013), and Giancarlo Stanton (2022).
Bellinger expressed his pride in wearing the Yankees uniform, stating that winning the All-Star Game MVP as a Yankee is incredibly meaningful.
Bellinger burst onto the MLB scene with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017, quickly becoming a star. In his rookie season, he hit .267 with 39 home runs, 97 RBIs, and an On-base Plus Slugging (OPS) of .933, unanimously winning the National League Rookie of the Year award.
In 2019, Bellinger had a monster year, batting .305 with 47 home runs, 115 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.035, securing the National League MVP award.
Despite these stellar performances and All-Star appearances in 2017 and 2019, it would be a long time before he returned to the Midsummer Classic.
Bellinger’s career took a downturn starting in 2020, partly due to the COVID-19 shortened season, injuries, and poor performance. His batting average plummeted to .165 with just 10 home runs in 2021, followed by a .211 average with 19 home runs in 2022.
Consequently, the Dodgers released Bellinger after the 2022 season.
However, this setback proved to be a blessing in disguise. Bellinger bounced back with the Chicago Cubs in 2023 and 2024, belting 44 home runs and driving in 175 runs.
After being traded to the Yankees following the 2024 season, Bellinger hit .272 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs, posting an OPS of .813. This performance earned him a lucrative five-year, 162.5 million USD contract with the Yankees.
In the first half of this season, Bellinger played 94 games, hitting .254 with 11 home runs, 51 RBIs, and 49 runs scored, securing his first All-Star selection in seven years.
He made the starting lineup due to injuries to Byron Buxton (Minnesota Twins) and Aaron Judge (Yankees), then sealed his MVP status with the game-winning hit.
Reflecting on his journey, Bellinger said that he made the All-Star team twice in his first three seasons. Back then, he thought he’d be an All-Star every year. But it took a really long time to get back here.
He added that making the All-Star team is tough. Everything has to align – performance, health, everything. He truly savored this All-Star experience.
The Yankees, currently second in the AL East with a 54-42 record, will start the second half of the season with a home series against the Dodgers on July 18.
Bellinger expressed his ambitions, saying that first, it wants to win the division, and then go after that World Series title. That goal hasn’t changed.