Bellinger's Gold Glove Headlines a Complicated Yankees Offseason

Cody Bellinger won his second Gold Glove award in right field, the Yankees confirmed this week, giving the club a postseason honor to hang on an otherwise difficult 2026 ledger. Bellinger, one of three Yankees All-Stars alongside Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler, hit .258/.362/.440 with 8 home runs and 43 RBI across 74 games this season.

The award arrives as the organization takes stock of real structural problems. The rotation finished the year with Schlittler as a clear anchor — 17-7, 1.89 ERA — but Ryan Weathers went 5-11 with a 4.24 ERA, and Gerrit Cole finished at an even 10-10. Depth behind the top two starters was a recurring concern all season, and it remains one heading into the offseason.

First base is the other question. Paul Goldschmidt, 39, appeared in 43 games and posted a .259/.344/.489 line. The depth chart lists him as the primary starter at the position, but at his age the succession question is real and pressing. Ben Rice, who hit .289 with 20 home runs and a 1.006 OPS in 72 games, factors into that picture, though how the roster sorts itself out this winter is still to be determined.

Pitching coach Matt Blake has already been extended on a three-year deal, and Brian Cashman is back as general manager. The front-office structure is set. What it does with the rotation and first base will define how seriously the Yankees address the gaps a 93-win season papered over.