Yankees facing difficult Spencer Jones decision following Cody Bellinger news

Outfielder Cody Bellinger was traded to the New York Yankees in December 2024. Following a great first season in pinstripes in 2025, he signed a five-year, $162.5 million contract with the club. Bellinger’s 2026 has been excellent for the most part. In 102 games this season, he is slashing .259/.350/.420 (.770 OPS) with 11 home runs and 53 RBIs. The three-time All-Star started for the American League in left field during the All-Star Game, and went on to win the game’s MVP. On July 25, the 31-year-old suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. He has been on the injured list since. Gary Phillips of NY Daily News reported Tuesday that Bellinger will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre on Thursday. Potential impact for Spencer Jones With Bellinger’s return likely to come either this weekend or to begin next week, rookie outfielder Spencer Jones could be on the chopping block. The 25-year-old made his debut May 8 and has had a few separate stints in MLB since. Jones, the No. 7 overall prospect in New York’s organization, has played in 51 games this season. He is slashing .210/.297/.384 (.681 OPS) with five home runs and 18 RBIs. He is also 6-for-6 on stolen base attempts. Upon Bellinger’s injury, Jones took over in left field. After the trade deadline, he moved over to right field with Aaron Judge still on the IL. This season, Jones has played at least 50 innings in each outfield spot. MORE: Brewers nearing full strength after updates on Cooper Pratt, Sal Frelick Impact for Heliot Ramos Aug 4, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Heliot Ramos (34) runs off the field after the top of the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters) The Yankees traded for outfielder Heliot Ramos from the San Francisco Giants on Aug. 3. He has been the main left fielder since, playing all 11 of his games with the Yankees in that spot. His tenure has not gotten off to the greatest start. Ramos is batting .083 with a .214 on-base percentage since coming to New York. He went seven games in a row from Aug. 8 to 15 without recording a hit. Though the 26-year-old has not been great so far, the Yankees gave up a decent trade package to get him. They expect him to play well and will keep him out there for a while. Once Bellinger returns from the IL, it is possible Ramos will move to right field with Jones potentially being sent down to Triple-A. — Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —