If the Yankees want Cody Bellinger back, it probably won't be cheap.
Cody Bellinger is officially hitting free agency again, leaving the New York Yankees with a hole to fill in their outfield.
Bellinger plans to opt out of the final season of his deal according to MLB.com, which would have paid him $25 million. The decision comes with a $5 million buyout from the Yankees, which will be partially covered by his former team, the Chicago Cubs.
The deal was originally a three-year, $80 million contract he signed with the Cubs after his first year in Chicago. It contained opt-outs after both the first and second seasons, with a clear aim to re-enter free agency after a disappointing first foray. This time, he's hitting the free market after a strong year with the Yankees, who acquired him in a trade with the Cubs last offseason.
As a Yankee, Bellinger both hit at a well-above average clip — if not quite up to his old MVP level — and was one of New York's most valuable players on defense, effectively covering all three outfield spots and first base. He posted 29 homers, his most since his MVP season in 2019 and a career-low 13.7% whiff rate.
He spoke glowingly of his time in the Bronx at the end of the season:
“I had an unbelievable time putting on this uniform. Yankee Stadium, the fans, the organization, the culture that these guys have created in this locker room. It really is special. It's such a fun group, it was a fun group to be a part of. We came up short and that part stinks for sure, because we had a really, really good group here.”
The 30-year-old Bellinger figures to be one of the most attractive options in an outfield free agent class that also includes Kyle Tucker, Harrison Bader and Yankees teammate Trent Grisham. The Yankees will be an obvious suitor, though the team is facing plenty of other questions this offseason after a disappointing ALDS exit.
New York has one outfield spot emphatically spoken for with Aaron Judge. The other two are less clear in a world without Bellinger and Grisham.
There's former top prospect Jasson Dominguez, who keeps flashing elite traits but posted an underwhelming .248/.327/.397 line in his first full MLB season on at 22 years old. The club has also indicated it highly prizes prospect Spencer Jones, who posted big numbers at Triple-A this season but has also showed significant swing-and-miss issues. Neither option should leave the Yankees with confidence the outfield is handled for 2026, so a move to either retain Bellinger and/or Grisham or replace them appears likely.
Category: General Sports
