NEW YORK -- Thousands of fans angled for position outside Yankee Stadium’s gates on Friday afternoon, their hands outstretched in search of one of the season’s more coveted pinstriped giveaways: a Cody Bellinger bobblehead.
The real thing should be back in the Bronx soon. Bellinger played his second Minor League rehab game on Friday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and the All-Star is hoping to be activated for Sunday’s series finale against the Blue Jays.
Working back from a Grade 2 strain of his left hamstring, Bellinger went hitless in three at-bats for the RailRiders against Charlotte on Friday, playing six innings in left field. He went 1-for-3 with a single as the designated hitter for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday.
“I’ve been wanting to get back for a while,” Bellinger said earlier this week. “You always want to be realistic, and for me, I want to come back and stay. You don’t want to make anything worse. I’m itching to get back, but I’ve got to continue to play it safe and make sure I’m 100 percent ready.”
Bellinger sustained the hamstring strain running the bases on July 25 at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park. He was placed on the injured list the next day, at which time the Yankees said they expected him to return in four to six weeks.
This year's All-Star Game MVP, Bellinger is slashing .259/.350/.420 with 21 doubles, 11 home runs and 53 RBIs in 102 games this season.