Cody Bellinger to opt out of contract, adding another item to Yankees’ offseason checklist

Cody Bellinger is 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.

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The deal was originally a three-year, $80 million contract signed with the Cubs after Bellinger’s first year in Chicago. It contained opt-outs after both the first and second seasons, with a clear aim for him 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.

Cody Bellinger is looking for his big pay day. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

(Daniel Shirey via Getty Images)

As a Yankee, Bellinger 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.

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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.â€

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New York has one outfield spot emphatically spoken for with Aaron Judge. The other two are less clear in a world without Bellinger and Trent Grisham, who is also a free agent.

There’s also former top prospect Jasson Domínguez, who keeps flashing elite traits but posted an underwhelming .248/.327/.397 line in his first full MLB season at 22 years old. The club has also indicated that it highly prizes prospect Spencer Jones, who posted big numbers at Triple-A this season but has also shown significant swing-and-miss issues.

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Neither option should leave the Yankees with confidence that the outfield is handled for 2026, so a move to retain Bellinger and/or Grisham or replace them appears likely.

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