Cody Bellinger was having a revenge game against the Cubs on Friday and produced the first three-homer game of his career, but his former team robbed him when he nearly launched a fourth.
After hitting consecutive two-run home runs into right field to give the Yankees, Bellinger looked destined to have a third in the seventh.
On a 1-1 pitch, the 2019 MVP launched a 94 mph sinker to right field, and it seemed on track to clear the fence.
However, Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker jumped up and reached his glove over the wall, robbing Bellinger before he later collected his third homer three innings later.
The Yankees still managed to do damage in the fifth, however.
They scored two more runs on a sequence of singles from Ben Rice, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Paul Goldschmidt, and J.C. Escarra, giving the Yankees a commanding 8-0 lead.
Friday marked the first time Bellinger was facing the Cubs since his trade to the pinstripes in the offseason that was largely thought of as a salary move by Chicago.
They traded him for pitcher Cody Poteet, who the Yankees only used in five games last year, and the Cubs didn’t go on to use him at all.
In March, Poteet was traded to the Orioles for cash.
Bellinger arrived in New York with two years and $52.5 million remaining on his contract, which also included a $25 million player option for 2026.
It’s expected that he will opt-out at the end of the season and become a free agent.
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The pair of homers gave Bellinger his 18th multi-home run game.
The last came on Aug. 19, 2023 with the Cubs.