{"id":59910,"date":"2026-08-29T19:03:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-29T19:03:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/59910\/"},"modified":"2026-08-29T19:03:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-29T19:03:12","slug":"how-tennis-helped-yankees-cody-bellinger-become-mlbs-best-left-fielder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/tennis\/59910\/","title":{"rendered":"How tennis helped Yankees\u2019 Cody Bellinger become MLB’s best left fielder"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Cody Bellinger first joined the Yankees ahead of the 2025 season, the club showed him a presentation about ways to improve his defense.<\/p>\n

First-step and pre-pitch techniques, studied by the organization\u2019s army of analysts, were part of that. So was another sport.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe actually got it from tennis,\u201d Bellinger said. \u201cWhen these guys are getting serves at them 115 mph, you\u2019ll see this little pre-step that they do, and we\u2019ve taken that on defense, and it\u2019s been good for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The left fielder shared that tidbit after making a game-saving, 99.7-mph throw in Friday\u2019s 1-0 win over Boston<\/a>. The perfectly placed missile, the third-fastest throw of Bellinger\u2019s career, gunned down Red Sox speedster Ceddanne Rafaela at the plate.<\/p>\n

\n

Don’t run on Belli \ud83d\udeab#RepBX<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/sDfQBoofFq<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

While Bellinger\u2019s arm starred on the play, it was his footwork before and throughout that put him in position for an on-the-money throw. And that, he said, can be partly attributed to the Yankees\u2019 tennis lessons.<\/p>\n

Actually, outfield coach Luis Rojas said tennis only makes up 5% of the performance the Bombers gave Bellinger, not even. But Rojas isn\u2019t surprised that that\u2019s the part that stuck with the former MVP, as he had the same takeaway the first time he saw the presentation.<\/p>\n

While tennis players don\u2019t have to go back on balls like outfielders, Rojas said that mimicking their pre-serve hops helps get players like Bellinger in good position for 360 degrees of possibilities, as they don\u2019t know where the batter is going to hit the ball. The idea is to have Yankees outfielders on the balls of their feet as the baseball is impacting the bat.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Tennis players\u2019] reaction time is so quick, and we just take that example as something you can do so you can have a better first step or reaction to the ball,\u201d Rojas said. \u201cEvery tennis player hops so they can move quicker laterally to react to those serves<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re probably going to get more chances to make a play when you\u2019re hopping.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rojas called the timing of the pre-pitch hop \u201can art.\u201d If so, Bellinger may just be the Pablo Picasso of left fielders.<\/p>\n

While he was a strong defender for the Yankees last year, no one has played better defense at the position than the three-time All-Star this season. Heading into Saturday\u2019s doubleheader against Boston, Bellinger led his position with 20 Defensive Runs Saved. The next-closest players had nine.<\/p>\n

He also ranked first in Fielding Run Value (8) and Outfield Arm Runs Saved (5), and he was second in Outs Above Average (6). He was also fifth in assists (5).<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s so good, it\u2019s almost underrated,\u201d Paul Goldschmidt said. \u201cHe goes to get balls that [other] guys aren\u2019t even getting to. And he\u2019s catching them standing up. He gets such good reads out there, and then his arm, you kind of forget about it, but he\u2019s got one of the strongest arms in baseball and is so accurate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s just a tremendous athlete,\u201d Aaron Boone added. \u201cI think he\u2019s just really good on his feet, really good off-balance, really good when he gets his hands on it. A really good and smart and accurate thrower. It\u2019s just a look at a really good athlete that\u2019s gotten really good at playing the corner.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to some insight from another sport, Bellinger said that only playing left field has helped him take his defense to another level this year.<\/p>\n

While he primarily played left last year, he also spent a decent amount of time in center, a position he hasn\u2019t graded out well at since his Dodgers days.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne position, you get the reps, consistency, consistent arm release,\u201d Bellinger said.<\/p>\n

Rojas also noted that Bellinger\u2019s arm is at full strength after being hindered by some issues that predated his Yankees tenure.<\/p>\n

But Bellinger said the pre-pitch techniques he learned have made the biggest difference. They\u2019ve also made him a more knowledgeable fan of the sport that inspired them.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow when I watch tennis, I watch it,\u201d he said. \u201cI see the jump.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t