Overview
- The Yankees activated outfielder Cody Bellinger Sunday, ending a 25-game absence caused by a Grade 2 left hamstring strain suffered July 25.
- Bellinger completed a staged rehab that included batting practice, two minor-league rehab games and recent on-field testing, and he said he felt "100 percent" after going 1-for-4 and scoring a run in his return.
- To make room on the 26-man roster the Yankees optioned utilityman Max Schuemann to Triple-A, and Heliot Ramos — who started 15 games during Bellinger’s absence — is expected to see matchup-driven playing time against left-handed pitchers.
- New York went 14-11 while Bellinger was out, and his return gives the Yankees a middle-of-the-order bat as they sit three games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.
- The club is also managing Carlos Rodón's comeback with a guarded pitch limit as he builds arm strength, a step the Yankees say will be monitored before increasing his workload.