Cody Bellinger goes 1-for-3 in first rehab game with Triple-A Scranton

Cody Bellinger played his first rehab game Thursday night, going 1-for-3 as the designated hitter for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Yankees outfielder batted second for the Rail Riders in his first game action since landing on the injured list in July with a hamstring injury, per Yahoo Sports.

Bellinger's lone hit came in his first at-bat, when he drove a 96 mph sinker through the right side and under the Charlotte shortstop's glove. He flied out to right field in his second plate appearance and popped out to the shortstop in his third.

Per Yahoo Sports, manager Aaron Boone said the club planned for Bellinger to play two rehab games — likely Thursday and Friday — before deciding whether to activate him. Boone indicated Bellinger could return as soon as Sunday's series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays.

What happened

Bellinger served as the DH and batted second in the lineup for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Thursday night. The outing was his first rehab start since the hamstring injury that sent him to the injured list in July.

The hit came on a sinker in on his hands that found grass on the right side of the infield. His other two at-bats produced routine outs — a fly ball to right and a pop-up to short.

Why it matters

The Yankees have been without Bellinger since July, and his return would add a veteran bat to a lineup chasing the AL East lead. The two-game rehab plan suggests the club is moving cautiously but deliberately. If Bellinger plays Friday as expected and shows no setbacks, Sunday's game against Toronto becomes the earliest possible activation date.

The timing matters for a club in the thick of both a division race and playoff positioning. Bellinger had been a steady presence in the middle of the order before the hamstring injury sidelined him, and the Yankees are now navigating the final stretch of the regular season without much margin for error.

The numbers

Before the hamstring injury, Bellinger appeared in 102 games and slashed .259/.350/.420 with 11 home runs and 53 RBI. The .350 on-base percentage was a notable strength, particularly in the two-hole where he had been deployed for much of the season.

Where the club stands

The Yankees enter Friday with an 81-62 record, second in the AL East and four games behind the division leader. They hold the top Wild Card spot in the American League, but are coming off a loss that snapped their recent momentum.

New York opens a three-game series against Toronto on Friday night at Yankee Stadium. Cam Schlittler is the probable pitcher for the Yankees, opposed by Mason Fluharty. Saturday's game features Ryan Weathers against Dylan Cease, and Sunday's series finale — the earliest Bellinger could be activated — has Carlos Rodón scheduled to face José Soriano.

The three-game set against Toronto represents one of the final opportunities for the Yankees to make up ground in the division race while also solidifying their Wild Card position. Every game carries weight in both standings, and the return of a bat like Bellinger's would give the club another option as it navigates the final weeks of the regular season.

What we don't know yet

The Yankees have not said whether Bellinger will play Friday, though Boone's comments suggested a two-game rehab assignment was the plan. The club also has not said definitively that Bellinger will be activated Sunday; that decision will depend on how he responds to the rehab games.

It is also unclear what roster move the Yankees would make to create space for Bellinger's return. The active roster carries 26 players through the end of August, and someone would need to be sent down, designated for assignment, or placed on the injured list to accommodate the activation.

The rehab assignment can run up to 20 days for position players before the club must make a decision, but the two-game plan suggests the Yankees believe Bellinger is close to ready. The hamstring injury cost him more than a month, and the brief tune-up in Triple-A is the final step before he rejoins the big-league roster.

What to watch

Friday's game in Scranton will be the second and likely final rehab appearance before the Yankees make a decision. If Bellinger plays and shows no ill effects, Sunday becomes the target date for his return to the active roster.

The Toronto series also offers a look at how the Yankees might deploy Bellinger once he is back. He has played both corner outfield spots and first base this season, and the club's roster configuration will dictate where he fits best. The DH role he filled Thursday in Scranton is another option, though New York has used that spot to rotate regulars and keep them fresh down the stretch.

Bellinger's ability to get on base ahead of the middle of the order made him a valuable piece in the two-hole before the injury. Whether he returns to that spot or slides elsewhere in the lineup will depend on how the Yankees have configured things in his absence and what Boone sees as the best fit for the final weeks.

The hamstring injury has kept Bellinger out since July, and the Yankees have had to navigate a significant portion of the season without him. His return would give the club another established bat for the stretch run, and the timing — with the division race still within reach and playoff seeding on the line — makes the activation decision all the more consequential.

Two games in Triple-A is a relatively brief tune-up, but the Yankees appear to be moving forward with confidence in Bellinger's readiness. Sunday's game against Toronto is the earliest he could be back, and the club will make that call after seeing how he comes through Friday's outing in Scranton.