Yankees’ Cody Bellinger exits with hamstring injury as trade deadline looms

PHILADELPHIA — The New York Yankees’ injury concerns, which already include Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, may have gotten worse.

Left fielder Cody Bellinger exited Saturday’s 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies after injuring his left 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. He waved off Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who noticed his player hobbling in between first and second base. But concern quickly grew.

“As the at-bat went on, it felt like it probably wasn’t the smartest decision to stay,” Bellinger said after the game.

Losing Bellinger for any amount of time would be a significant blow for the Yankees, whose depth continues to get tested on the position player side.

“He’s a huge member of our team and what we do,” Boone said. “Just a tremendous all-around player. Whether it’s some time or not, hopefully it’s on the minor side, but we’ll see.”

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 Spencer Jones, the likeliest call-up candidate, is steep. Max Schuemann ultimately replaced Bellinger in left field on Saturday. 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 has the ability to play all three outfield positions, even though he is not considered an extraordinary fielder at any position. If Bellinger misses time, 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 entered Saturday’s game with an 83 wRC+ since June 1, and he had the 14th-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, though he’s been one of the key issues. New York entered Saturday’s game with an 89 wRC+ since June 1, tied for the fourth-worst in MLB. A Bellinger absence may force Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to prioritize adding an outfielder before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

There has been some online chatter that the Yankees may not be ultra aggressive at the deadline because of Judge’s injury prognosis, but Boone shot that down before Saturday’s game.

“I don’t think so, because I think we all expect him back,” Boone said.

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, who will undergo tests on his hamstring as soon as Sunday. 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.

The Yankees won’t know what they’re dealing with until they get the results from his imaging. The results may determine whether Cashman enters the trade deadline looking for something they may not have been searching for before Saturday — an everyday outfielder.