Yankees place Cody Bellinger on IL, recall Spencer Jones

PHILADELPHIA — The New York Yankees officially placed left fielder Cody Bellinger on the 10-day injured list on Sunday with a left hamstring strain. The Yankees recalled Spencer Jones from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take Bellinger’s spot on the roster.

Bellinger exited Saturday’s 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies after injuring his hamstring while rounding first base in the top of the eighth. Bellinger initially remained in the game before he limped to the dugout and into the clubhouse between innings.

Losing Bellinger is a significant blow for the Yankees, whose depth continues to get tested on the position-player side. Bellinger now joins Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton on the injured list, three players who were seen as cornerstones for the Yankees’ lineup entering the season.

“He’s a huge member of our team and what we do,” Boone said of Bellinger on Saturday. “Just a tremendous all-around player.”

Bellinger has a 118 wRC+ on the season and 19 defensive runs saved, which is the most among all left fielders in MLB. The Yankees would likely feel his absence most on defense. The drop-off from Bellinger to Jones is steep. Max Schuemann ultimately replaced Bellinger in left field on Saturday, and he is expected to be in the lineup on Sunday against Phillies left-handed starter Cristopher Sánchez.

Jones has yet to play left field this season, but he can play all three outfield positions, even though he is not considered an extraordinary fielder at any position. With Bellinger now shelved, the Yankees could turn to Jones in left field or shift Jasson Domínguez from right field. Domínguez was one of MLB’s worst defenders in left field last season, as he struggled with inconsistent routes and reads. He has looked considerably more comfortable in right field, though he has still graded out negatively.

Offensively, Bellinger hasn’t produced at his usual level since Judge, who hasn’t played since May 31, landed on the injured list. He has posted an 87 wRC+ since June 1, and he has the 20th-worst slugging percentage among all qualified hitters during that span. Bellinger also hasn’t homered since June 17; his 31-game homerless streak is two games shy of his career-long drought. Even amid that slump, Bellinger still represents a stronger offensive option than any of the Yankees’ internal alternatives.

“Obviously, I hit a cold stretch there for a little bit,” Bellinger said. “It was way longer than I ever wanted it to be.”

Bellinger hasn’t been the only problem with the Yankees’ offense since the start of June, though he’s been one of the key issues. New York enters Sunday night’s game with an 89 wRC+ since June 1, tied for the fifth-worst in MLB. Bellinger’s absence may now force Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to prioritize adding an outfielder before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

It’s unclear which outfielders may be available on the market. Boone mentioned that his sense was many clubs were still determining their direction. But some outfielders for the Yankees to consider may include Kansas City’s Lane Thomas, Baltimore’s Taylor Ward, Colorado’s Mickey Moniak and Cincinnati’s JJ Bleday and Spencer Steer.

It’s too early to know if the Yankees’ trade plans will be altered in light of Bellinger missing time. Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham had a minor hamstring injury earlier this season — one in which he was able to run the following day — and he still missed 19 games. Generally, a Grade 1 hamstring strain often sidelines players for several weeks, while more significant strains can require months.

Now that the Yankees know Bellinger will be sidelined, it may force Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to add even more offense to a lineup that has struggled for nearly two months.