Browsing: Bellinger

Brian Cashman appeared Sunday on YES Network for an interview from the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla. Here is the latest from the Yankees’ general manager on New York’s pursuit of Cody Bellinger and Tatsuya Imai, plus where things stand at key spots after Trent Grisham‘s qualifying-offer acceptance and Ben Rice‘s breakout season.

Bellinger ‘still in play’

Bellinger opted out of his contract with the Yankees and became a free agent last month, but he is “still in play,” Cashman said.

Advertisement

“I talked to (agent) Scott Boras (Saturday),” Cashman said. ” … We’re going to continue to have dialogue. He’s got a number of players in the marketplace. He’s got a very deep roster. Cody Bellinger also is one of ’em. Again, my job is to stay fluid, make sure I have all the intel that’s coming in — as much as I can share with ownership — and, at some point, something might materialize.”

Imai and ‘big swings’

The Yankees are reportedly among the most interested clubs for Imai, the Japanese right-hander who is among the prizes of this offseason.

“Very talented player coming over from Japan, and we’ve certainly taken our big swings for trying to add some more talented players — whether they’re local or overseas, as far as Japan,” Cashman said. “So, Scott Boras represents him. So, he’s got a long list of talented players on his roster. So, I’m talking to a lot of different agents. But he’s obviously one of ’em as well.”

Advertisement

Grisham’s ‘reassurance’

After Cashman explained Grisham’s return last month, where does the move leave the Yankees’ outfield?

“It gave us some reassurance because, ultimately, we entered the winter down two highly productive, impactful players that led us to be tied with the best record in the American League in the toughest division — and some of those reasons were Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham,” Cashman said. “So, when Trent accepted the qualifying offer, it gave us — now we’ve got our center-field situation locked down for the next year.

“We believe the changes he made with his swing were real. And so, we were very happy with that. So, now it’s a little bit less pressure to — now, instead of being down two, we’re down one and it gives us a little bit more flexibility. Go with the kids, see what the price tags are in free agency, whatever challenge trades come your way and make a decision when they come your way. And so, the Grisham qualifying-offer acceptance is a good thing for us.”

Advertisement

Rice ‘manning first base’

Cashman does not feel like he needs “outside help” beyond Rice, who enters 2026 “manning first base for” the Yankees.

“No, Rice at first is fine,” Cashman said. “He can catch, he can play first and first base was a secondary position for him — one he was learning on the run — and he got better and better as the year went on, so we’re really proud of what Rice is and what he brings to the table. And as far as I’m concerned, he’s manning first base for us with (Austin) Wells catching. But the one thing, as I touch base on all that stuff, is we’re obviously too left-handed.

“So, we need to find a way to balance out. I thought we had a good trade deadline last year ’cause we were able to bring in few right-handed bats. We already had (Paul) Goldschmidt, you had (Giancarlo) Stanton. We had (Amed) Rosario coming in on the trade deadline with (Austin) Slater. … At the end of the day, it gave Booney some more choices, balanced us out. The deadline we also just had, that we came off of, was fruitful in the fact that it gave us some more controllable inventory.

Advertisement

“A lot of the players we brought in are collapsing right into our winter. They weren’t here for three months and gone. They protected us in many ways. So, for instance, if we try to rebuild the bullpen, we have (Camilo) Doval and (David) Bednar now as we move into the 2026 season, but we’ve lost Devin (Williams) and (Luke) Weaver. So, thankfully, a lot of the things we did at the deadline — we still have to show, and it gives us some protection, but we need to add to it.”

Source link

The three best left-handed hitters on the free-agent market all have something in common.

Cody Bellinger, Kyle Schwarber, and Kyle Tucker are all in line for nine-figure contracts. Theyâ€re all ex-Cubs, too, and multi-time All-Stars. But the real similarity is their ability to crush left-handed pitching.

Itâ€s an exceedingly rare skill for a left-handed hitter – let alone a slugger. In 2025, lefties hit just .231 with a .365 SLG and a 24.0% strikeout rate against southpaws. As a whole, left-handed pitching is as dominant as itâ€s been in quite some time: Lefties combined to allow a .240 batting average last season, the lowest mark since the Year of the Pitcher in 1968, which prompted MLB to lower the mound.

And yet, for Bellinger, Schwarber, and Tucker, this is an unquestioned strength — an asset that should boost their markets this offseason. Letâ€s assess a hitterâ€s overall offensive production by Weighted On-Base Average (wOBA), a metric similar to On-Base Percentage, except it weighs extra-base hits. Last season, 86 left-handed hitters drew at least 75 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers. Few, if any, fared better than the free-agent trio.

That’s a .427 wOBA in left-on-left situations for Bellinger, a .407 wOBA for Schwarber, and a .361 wOBA for Tucker.

So, how do they do it? Letâ€s dive in.

No left-handed hitter handled left-handed pitching like Bellinger did last season. The former Yankees outfielder led the group in left-on-left batting average (.353), slugging percentage (.601), and wOBA (.427).

This isnâ€t anything new for Bellinger, who has mashed against left-handed pitching before. In 2019, when Bellinger won NL MVP with the Dodgers, he posted a .398 wOBA against southpaws. His career OPS against lefties (.806) isnâ€t far below his career mark against righties (.822).

“A lot of it is approach,†Bellinger said later that month, after winning an epic battle with Aroldis Chapman. “Iâ€m just trying to stay right here and stay within myself, and ultimately just put my best swing on the ball as consistently as I can. I kind of control what I can control.â€

That sounds a lot like controlling the strike zone, and discipline is fundamental to Bellingerâ€s success. His chase rate against lefties fell from 35.9% in 2024 to 26.2% in 2025 — nearly a 10% drop-off. Yankees hitting coach James Rowson told FanGraphs that Bellinger is as good at recognizing pitch shapes as anyone he’s ever seen. That helps explain why only eight left-handed hitters ran a lower whiff rate than Bellinger against southpaws (16.6%).

But Bellinger didnâ€t just make contact against lefties — he punished them. Thatâ€s what sets him apart. The eight hitters who had a lower whiff rate in left-on-left matchups didnâ€t hit for power; Nolan Schanuel of the Angels had the highest slugging percentage against lefties of the group, at .368. Bellinger nearly doubled that mark.

“He can shorten up and go the other way, or he can take you deep pull-side,†said Bellingerâ€s teammate with the Yankees, Max Fried. “So heâ€s two different types of hitters, and youâ€ve just got to make pitches and hope he gets himself out.â€

That didnâ€t happen often. Bellinger hit .365 against left-on-left fastballs, and .353 off left-on-left breaking balls. He covered every area of the strike zone, which you can see in the chart below. As Fried alluded to, Bellinger flicked pitches on the outer half to the opposite field and yanked middle-middle pitches into the right-field seats. Thatâ€s hard to beat.

Just two years ago, Schwarber ran a .188/.430 BA/SLG against left-handers, with a .331 wOBA. Kevin Long, Schwarberâ€s hitting coach with the Nationals (2021) and Phillies (2022-25), recalled that the slugger was “inept†at hitting lefties.

Fast forward two years and Schwarber is in line for a deserving nine-figure contract because, among other reasons, he cracked the riddle of left-handed pitching. Last season, he bashed 23 left-on-left homers. Thatâ€s the most by a left-handed batter against left-handed pitching in a single season in MLB history.

Schwarberâ€s renaissance has a lot to do with a new mindset.

“You donâ€t really view it as left-on-left or a right-handed pitcher,†Schwarber told The Athletic in May. “You just view yourself as hitting. You kind of want to take the stigma away from that.â€

To do so, Schwarber sticks to his strengths, like hitting the ball in the air. His pulled airball rate against lefties — 33.8% — was fifth highest in MLB, and actually better than his mark against righties (29.5%). Even for a prototypical slugger like Schwarber, pulling balls in the air is the best sort of contact. The spray charts below show Schwarberâ€s batted balls against lefties in 2024 and in 2025. Itâ€s easy to see the difference in production.

Thereâ€s more to this story than Schwarberâ€s new mindset. He worked closely with Long to get comfortable facing the odd crossfire angles that left-handed pitchers create for left-handed sluggers. He started wearing a protective C-flap helmet, too, which helped him stay home on pitches running in on him. With fast hands and little fear, he learned to turn on pitches at a high frequency.

Itâ€s not a surprise that Schwarber crushes left-on-left fastballs. His .833 SLG against four-seamers/sinkers last season is over 150 points above the next closest player, Miamiâ€s Jakob Marsee (.657).

Tucker falls into the Bellinger camp, in the sense that heâ€s always hit left-handers, touting a career .842 OPS against southpaws. Since 2019 — Tucker’s official rookie season — only Yordan Alvarez, Bryce Harper, Shohei Ohtani, and Juan Soto have a higher OPS in left-on-left matchups (min. 100 PA).

Tucker’s success against lefties predates the start of his professional career. He grew up facing his brother, Preston — a left-hander — in Wiffle ball matchups in the backyard. Heâ€s been comfortable facing lefties ever since.

Tuckerâ€s best skills — a rare blend of exceptional contact ability with plus power — translate against lefties. In 2025, he posted a 19.1% swing-and-miss rate against left-handers, as well as a 16.7% chase rate. No one chased less often in left-on-left matchups than Tucker, and good swing decisions paved the way for success.

Any conversation of Tuckerâ€s 2025 season would be incomplete without mentioning the hairline fracture in his right hand, which he sustained at the beginning of June. To some degree, his on-field production was impacted as he played through the injury. That sure looks to be the case against left-handers.

Tucker’s contact quality vs. LHP

We donâ€t really know the degree to which the hand fracture bothered Tucker. But, in April and May, Tucker posted two of the best months against left-handed pitching in his entire career; he followed that up with three of his worst.

The eight-year veteran owns a career .505 SLG against lefties that mirrors his .508 SLG against righties. It wouldnâ€t be a surprise if a fully-healthy Tucker gets right back to that elite level.

Source link

Here’s the latestYankees free agency and trade buzz during the 2025-26 MLB offseason…

Dec. 4, 11:42 a.m.

While other suitors are certainly in the mix, Cody Bellingerremains the Yankees’ No. 1 target, and the club is making a “big effort” to bring him back, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Advertisement

Heyman lists the Mets, Phillies, Angels, and Dodgers as other possibilities.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan has previously reported that signing Bellinger would be a “multipart move” for the Yankees, as the club would almost certainly need to move one of their other outfield pieces –potentially Jasson Dominguez or up-and-coming prospect Spencer Jones.

With Trent Grisham accepting the qualifying offer, the Yanks would have a surplus of outfielders if Bellinger was to re-sign.

Dec. 3, 8:22 p.m.

The high-stakes bidding war for Kyle Tuckerofficially includes one of the Yankees’ division rivals, as the superstar outfielder visited the Blue Jays’ facility in Florida on Wednesday, according to a report from Robert Murray of FanSided.

Advertisement

It’s no surprise the reigning AL champions are big-game hunting for a new bat. The club signed free-agent starter Dylan Cease to a massive seven-year, $210 million deal and right-hander Cody Ponce to a three-year, $30 million contract in the last week.

Murray reports the Blue Jays are also interested in retaining shortstop Bo Bichette, who could garner an average annual value above $20 million.

Tucker would make the Blue Jays’ lineup even more imposing. In his lone season with the Cubs, the 28-year-old slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs and 25 steals. His seven-year run with the Astros was far more impressive, though — he hit .274 with 125 homers and 417 RBI.

Only time will tell if the Yankees make a legitimate run at Tucker’s services. His contract demands seem too rich for their blood, and the Yankees have stated they’re focused on re-signing Cody Bellinger, who’d come at a much lower price.

Advertisement

Dec. 1, 9:19 a.m.

The Yankees re-signing Cody Bellinger would be a “multipart move,” reports Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Per Passan, the Yanks are unlikely to enter the season with Bellinger, Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham, Jasson Dominguez, and Spencer Jonesall on the team.

Things got tight player-wise and payroll-wise for New York when Grisham accepted the one-year qualifying offer.

Another factor when it comes to Bellinger or other large signings/trades for the Yanks this offseason is that with Grisham now in tow, New York’s payroll for 2026 is already roughly $278 million.

Pair the above with owner Hal Steinbrenner‘s recent comments that it would be “ideal” to lower payroll for this coming season — and his repeated statements about not wanting to carry a payroll above $300 million — and it’s fair to wonder how much wiggle room there will be to retain Bellinger and address other needs.

Advertisement

Nov. 20, 9:37 a.m.

The Yankees and Devin Williams‘ representatives recently discussed the possibility of the reliever returning to the Bronx, per Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic.

In addition to the Yanks, Williams has reportedly drawn interest from the Mets, Dodgers, and Blue Jays, among others, this offseason.

The Yankees recently re-signed left-hander Ryan Yarbrough, but their ‘pen is still in need of serious reinforcements.

In addition to Williams, Luke Weaver is also a free agent.

Nov. 13, 11:09 a.m.

The Red Sox are among the teams with interest in Devin Williams, reports Will Sammon of The Athletic, who also lists the Dodgers and Reds among teams that have expressed interest.

Advertisement

Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic also reported on Los Angeles and Williams, saying there appears to be mutual interest.

Los Angeles was one of the teams exploring the possibility of dealing for Williams last offseason before he was traded to the Yankees.

Williams, 31, struggled last season for the Yanks, posting a 4.79 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 62.0 innings.

While Williams was not his regular elite self, his stuff still played up as he had a strikeout rate of 13.1 per nine.

In addition to Williams, Luke Weaveris also a free agent, leaving the back end of New York’s bullpen in an uncertain spot.

Nov. 12, 11:33 a.m.

A source told Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News that the Yankees have checked in on left-hander Ryan Yarbrough, and the club is “expected to be suitors” for the 33-year-old.

Advertisement

After signing with the Yanks last spring, Yarbrough ended up being a valuable and versatile piece for Aaron Boone‘s pitching staff. He started eight games and appeared in 19 games in total, pitching to a 4.36 ERA while holding opposing lefties to a .198 batting average.

Yarbrough did miss a significant chunk of the season, though, as an oblique injury kept him out from mid-June to early September. As a result, he was left off the Yankees’ postseason roster.

Nov. 11, 3:45 p.m.

Historically, the Yankees have been among the highest-spending teams in baseball, but owner Hal Steinbrennerand GM Brian Cashmanhave reiterated multiple times over the past couple of years that having a payroll over $300 million is “simply not sustainable for us, financially,” as Cashman put it.

Advertisement

“It wouldnâ€t be sustainable for the vast majority of ownership [groups], given the luxury tax we have to pay,” Cashman said last May. “Iâ€ve been a broken record [on this topic]: I donâ€t believe I should have a $300 million payroll to win a championship.”

So how does that line of thinking impact what the Yankees will do this offseason?

Appearing on “Pinstripe Post,” Joel Sherman of the New York Post laid out how he believes the Yankees can thread the needle to retain a key free agent like Cody Bellinger, whom he referred to as “the key to their offseason,” while lowering their payroll beneath the $300 million number.

“I think the goal this offseason is to try to get under $300 million, luxury tax money. I think within that theyâ€d like to re-sign Cody Bellinger, add another reliever who can pitch in the final six outs of the game… I think theyâ€d like to find a complementary starting pitcher to help them through some injuries early in the season. I think theyâ€d love to flip J.C. Escarra for a righty version of J.C. Escarra… and I think theyâ€d like to find a complementary right-handed bat, and maybe plus Amed Rosario, who they liked a lot and tried in previous years to get.

Advertisement

“That all told, I think the Yankees would feel, if they got the versions of the players they wanted to, they would feel thatâ€s a 90+ win team, and theyâ€d have a shot to line it up, and that they could do that in the high ($200 millions).”

The Yankees ended last season with a payroll of $323.7 million, for luxury tax purposes. Factoring in projections for arbitration eligible players and other players in their pre-arbitration years who are still under team control, the Yankees currently have a payroll of roughly $244 million.

Can the Yankees fit in a player like Bellinger, who is projected to make somewhere around $27 million per season, and still make other needed moves while staying under the $304 million luxury tax threshold?

If that is indeed the goal, while it does appear possible, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of wiggle room.

Source link

Like most MLB clubs, the New York Yankees spent November planning and plotting. The Bombers, fresh off a disappointing ALDS exit vs. the Toronto Blue Jays, did, however, conduct one major bit of pre-Thanksgiving business. Center fielder Trent Grisham, who enjoyed a breakout 2025, was extended — and then accepted — the qualifying offer.

While Grishamâ€s relatively surprising decision to green-light the QO took a $22.5 million bite out of New Yorkâ€s budget for this offseason, it also, more importantly, solidified the clubâ€s plans for center field in 2026. Even if Grisham canâ€t replicate his 2025 long-ball prowess, heâ€s a perfectly capable, high-floor player thanks to his patient eye and sufficient defense.

Advertisement

So now what? The teamâ€s payroll currently sits around $260 million. Owner Hal Steinbrenner has been vocal about his desire to keep that number under $300 million. That gives GM Brian Cashman about $40 million to work with as he enters the busiest part of the offseason calendar.

Here are five major questions — and some possible answers — about where the Yankees go from here.

1. Were the 2025 Yankees good enough to justify running it back?

All signs point toward the status quo, given the way Cashman, Steinbrenner and manager Aaron Boone have been talking since the season ended. It feels exceedingly unlikely that the Yankees will undergo a major roster shakeup this winter. With Grisham back, the Yankees have only three major departing free agents to worry about: Cody Bellinger, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver. The first domino fell on Monday, when Williams reportedly agreed on a three-year deal with the Mets that guarantees more than $50 million, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Advertisement

Thereâ€s a strong argument that staying the course is a smart plan, even though the Jays thoroughly clobbered the Yankees in October. The 2025 Yankees were a good club. Toronto won the AL East only because of a tiebreaker; New Yorkâ€s 96-win tally was tied for tops in the American League. And that was despite the absence of Gerrit Cole, one of the best pitchers on the planet, who missed the entire season. Boone repeatedly referred to last yearâ€s team as the most talented heâ€d ever coached.

2. What happens with Cody Bellinger?

Bellingerâ€s first campaign in pinstripes was a runaway success. He produced 5.1 bWAR, second on the Yankees behind only, of course, Aaron Judge. The glazy-eyed lefty took full advantage of his home yardâ€s right-field short porch, finishing the year with 29 homers. Given his history in Los Angeles and Chicago, none of the Big Appleâ€s big-market hoopla seemed to rattle Bellinger. He also contributed phenomenal defense in Yankee Stadiumâ€s expansive left-field pasture. For all those reasons and more, Cashman must be supremely interested in a reunion.

But there will certainly be other suitors for Bellinger. Who couldnâ€t use an experienced, low-strikeout hitter with great outfield defense who just turned 30? Bellingerâ€s market will be robust and, as a result, might push his final contract number to an unsavory level for Cashman and Co. The Yankees were burned twice recently on long-term pacts that never seemed to end (DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Hicks), and that might motivate them to focus on a shorter-term, higher-average-annual-value deal.

Advertisement

Bellinger represents the proverbial fork in the Yankees’ offseason road. If they retain his services, the rest of their winter can be focused on building organizational depth and refurbishing the bullpen. But if Bellinger signs elsewhere, the Yanks will have a hole in their offense, tens of millions to play with and a reason to get more creative. And given the financial restrictions swirling around the Bronx, itâ€s difficult to envision a splurge for both Bellinger and another top-tier free agent.

3. What is the plan to reinforce the bullpen?

At the 2025 trade deadline, Cashman spent most of his time, energy and prospect capital refurbishing a bullpen that had become a concerning Achilles†heel. In the span of a few days, the Yanks added David Bednar from Pittsburgh, Camilo Doval from San Francisco and Jake Bird from Colorado. Bednar proved to be the jewel of the bunch, establishing himself as the teamâ€s closer. Heâ€ll be back in 2026, but at least one of the relievers he was brought in to support, Williams, won’t be.

Advertisement

Luke Weaver and Williams both had uneven seasons, with Weaver starting strong before fading and Williams doing the opposite. Even so, both were important contributors to a ‘pen that feels an arm or two light as currently constructed. As of now, Fernando Cruz and Doval will slot in behind Bednar, as will human marionette Tim Hill. It seems like a near certainty that the Yankees will enter spring training with at least one veteran reliever who isnâ€t currently on the roster. But will that arm be in the Edwin Díaz/Robert Suarez tier? Or is Cashman content with an Emilio Pagan or Kyle Finnegan type?

4. How do the Yankees plan to handle the early-season absences of rotation fixtures?

Right now, New Yorkâ€s projected Opening Day quintet would be Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, Will Warren and swingman Ryan Yarbrough, who was brought back on a one-year, $2 million deal a few weeks ago.

Advertisement

Carlos Rodón reemerged as a legitimate frontline arm in 2025, but he wonâ€t be ready for Opening Day after undergoing October surgery to remove a bone spur in his elbow. Clarke Schmidt isnâ€t expected back until late summer; he underwent Tommy John surgery halfway through this past season. Then thereâ€s Gerrit Cole, the teamâ€s 35-year-old ace who missed all of 2025 while rehabbing from March Tommy John surgery. His recovery is on track, but we likely wonâ€t see Cole on a big-league mound until some point in May.

[Get more New York news: Yankees team feed]

That leaves the Yankees†pitching staff somewhat undermanned until their big horses get healthy. The likeliest scenario, according to various people around the game, involves the Yankees patching things together with the aforementioned fivesome in the early going. Thanks to their off-day-laden early-season schedule, New York wonâ€t need a fifth starter until April 11.

Still, thereâ€s room here to get creative if they want to. The trade block is chock-full of interesting arms, such as Minnesotaâ€s Joe Ryan, Miamiâ€s Sandy Alcantara and Washingtonâ€s MacKenzie Gore, and the Yankees have a few interesting trade chips of their own to make something happen.

Advertisement

5. What does the future hold for Jasson Domínguez?

It was a weird season for the broad-shouldered Dominican, the former über-prospect who is still, somehow, only 22. He was a league-average hitter in 2025, but he struggled mightily in the outfield. Grishamâ€s renaissance robbed Domínguez of playing time, and he started just four times in September before managing one postseason plate appearance (a laser double to the wall!). If the Yankees bring Bellinger back, it would relegate Domínguez to the bench.

There remains ample time for him to figure things out — again, heâ€s the same age as most of the “Stranger Things†cast — but itâ€s tough to envision Domínguez becoming a meaningful player if heâ€s not getting the chance to play. Does that turn him into a trade chip? It seems unlikely that the Yankees would pull the plug now, but if they arenâ€t going to give him an avenue to fulfill his potential, then whatâ€s the point of keeping him around?

Source link

With the 2025 season behind us and the hot stove ready to burn, we’re taking a closer look at some of the most prominent players eligible for free agency.

Name: Cody Bellinger
Position: Outfielder/First baseman
Team: New York Yankees
Age (as of Opening Day 2026): 30
2025 stats: 152 games, .272/.334/.480 (.813 OPS), 29 HR, 98 RBIs, 89 R, 125 OPS+, 4.9 fWAR
Qualifying Offer: Yes (Declined)

Cody Bellinger is no stranger to free agency.

The 2017 National League Rookie of the Year and 2019 NL Most Valuable Player is on the open market for the third time in the past four offseasons, hoping to finally find the long-term deal that evaded him after the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Bellinger opted out of the final year and $25 million of the three-year, $80 million deal he signed with the Cubs prior to the 2024 season, looking to parlay his strong season with the Yankees into a lengthy contract that will take him into his mid-to-late 30s.

“This should be the best market heâ€s had,†said an American League executive. “He was a real difference-maker for the Yankees this season.â€

Bellinger hit 29 home runs with 98 RBIs and an .813 OPS in his first season with the Yankees, registering a +7 Outs Above Average while playing all three outfield positions in addition to first base. Although Bellinger hasnâ€t been able to replicate his incredible 2019 MVP season, he had the second-highest bWAR (5.0) and fWAR (4.9) of his career in 2025, posted a career-low strikeout percentage (13.7) and ranked third among all left fielders in fielding run value. He also saw jumps in his hard-hit percentage (37.9) and walk percentage (8.7).

Bellinger played 85 games in left field, 52 in right and 41 in center in 2025, also getting seven games at first base. His versatility will surely make him an attractive option for a number of clubs with differing needs, widening his market more than most position players.

His numbers against left-handed pitching should also generate interest around the league; Bellinger had a .353/.415/.601 slash line in 176 plate appearances against lefties, striking out only 9.7 percent of the time. Only one other left-handed hitter since 2002 has posted an OPS above 1.000 while striking out less than 10 percent of the time against lefties in at least 100 plate appearances: Barry Bonds, who did it in 2002 and 2004.

Letâ€s take a look at how Bellingerâ€s offseason might play out.

The Yankees and Bellinger were a perfect match, and a reunion here makes sense for both parties. Yankee Stadium is built perfectly for his swing, evidenced by Bellingerâ€s .912 career OPS in the Bronx, and his positional versatility gives manager Aaron Boone lineup options. New York is the clear favorite to sign Bellinger.

If Bellinger and the Yankees canâ€t find common ground, the Mets could swoop in and steal a star from their crosstown rivals for a second straight offseason. The Mets clearly have the financial wherewithal to sign Bellinger, and with the lineup potentially facing the loss of Pete Alonso, adding a big bat will be in their plans this winter. Starling Marte and Cedric Mullins are free agents, leaving an opening in the outfield, though Alonsoâ€s departure would also leave the Mets in need of a first baseman.

Like everything else with the Phillies this winter, their plans hinge upon the return of Kyle Schwarber. If Philadelphia loses its slugger, the need for an impact bat will be obvious. Harrison Bader and Max Kepler are also free agents, while Nick Castellanos is expected to be traded or released, leaving a need in the outfield. Bellinger would be an ideal addition in center field for a club whose window is beginning to close due to age.

The Cubs are focused on adding pitching this winter, but the potential loss of Kyle Tucker leaves a gaping hole in the outfield. Bellinger and the Cubs already know each other — he played for Chicago in 2023-24 — and he has performed well at Wrigley Field (.812 OPS in 140 games). Chicago might balk at paying the price for Bellinger given its need for pitching, but the match makes sense since heâ€ll cost less than Tucker.

It was only three years ago that the Dodgers non-tendered Bellinger, whose performance fell off precipitously after he won National League Rookie of the Year in 2017 and MVP in 2019. But Los Angeles has a glaring need in center field and knows Bellinger well; have the past few years given the Dodgers the belief that Bellingerâ€s struggles from 2020-22 are firmly behind him?

The Giants added a big bat last winter with the signing of Willy Adames, but the need for a left-handed weapon still exists. Oracle Park is not an ideal ballpark for a power hitter, though Bellingerâ€s speed would help him both offensively and defensively — and the Giants could certainly use a defensive upgrade in the outfield. San Franciscoâ€s primary focus appears to be adding pitching, but after ranking 10th in the National League in runs scored and 12th in OPS from its outfielders, Bellinger would be an ideal fit to add to the lineup.

Detroit might be saving its dollars with the hope of re-signing Tarik Skubal next winter, but beefing up the roster this winter could help convince Skubal that he should stay with the Tigers. Bellinger would be a huge upgrade in center field over Parker Meadows, while he could also see some time at first base, allowing Spencer Torkelson to get some at-bats at DH.

“I do think he will get a more substantial guarantee than the last few years,†an NL executive said. “Heâ€s proved he can stay healthy, heâ€s still on the younger side and heâ€s an athlete who can legitimately play multiple spots.â€

There are several reasons for the Yankees to bring Bellinger back, but none more compelling than his home/road splits in 2025. In 80 games at Yankee Stadium, Bellinger slashed .302/.365/.544 (.909 OPS) with 18 home runs and 55 RBIs. In 72 road games, those numbers dipped to .241/.301/.414 (.715 OPS) with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs. For any other club besides the Yankees, Bellingerâ€s numbers in the Bronx must be taken into consideration.

Bellinger is entering his age-30 season, giving us some notable comparisons from recent years. Kris Bryant signed a seven-year, $182 million deal with the Rockies at the same age, while George Springer landed a six-year, $150 million contract from the Blue Jays prior to his age-31 campaign. Bellingerâ€s last deal had an average annual value of $26.66 million, so it wouldnâ€t be a surprise to see him exceed that slightly over a longer-term contract.

Source link

• 

  Jorge CastilloNov 12, 2025, 08:37 PM ET

  Close

  ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the Washington Wizards from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018 for The Washington Post before covering the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 2018 to 2024.

LAS VEGAS — A year after centering their offseason around retaining Juan Soto, the New York Yankees’ list of priorities this winter begins with another prized outfielder expected to field considerable interest in the free agent market: Cody Bellinger.

While Bellinger won’t land nearly the record-setting contract Soto signed, he will have a robust selection of potential destinations, and the Yankees aren’t hiding their desire to re-sign him.

“We’re very interested in bringing him back,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Wednesday.

Cashman spoke to reporters on a video call from the East Coast while members of his front office and peers around the majors congregated for the annual general manager meetings in Nevada this week. The event, the unofficial start of the hot stove season, allows for clubs and agents to set the foundation for deals in the trade and free agent markets.

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

The Yankees will likely dabble in both spaces to improve a club that won 94 games but failed to win the American League East title before the Toronto Blue Jays bounced them from the postseason in the AL Division Series. The pursuit seemingly starts with the 30-year-old Bellinger, whom ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel predicted will sign a six-year, $165 million contract after a standout season in the Bronx.

The Yankees acquired Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs in December as part of their snappy pivot from Soto after he chose to sign with the New York Mets. They sent right-hander Cody Poteet to the Cubs, who were seeking to dump Bellinger’s salary days after acquiring Kyle Tucker, for Bellinger and $5 million to offset Bellinger’s $27.5 million salary in 2025.

Poteet was designated for assignment before the regular season and pitched in one game for the Baltimore Orioles in late April before landing on the injured list with shoulder inflammation for the remainder of the year. Bellinger, meanwhile, became the Yankees’ second-most valuable player by WAR and put him on the path to sign the second-largest contract for an outfielder this offseason behind Tucker.

Offensively, Bellinger, mostly hitting behind Aaron Judge, batted .272 with 29 home runs and an .813 OPS in 152 games. He was particularly dangerous against left-handed pitching, leading all left-handed hitters in on-base percentage (.415) and slugging percentage (.601) against lefties.

Defensively, metrics indicate he was a strong defender at the corner outfield spots and in his limited time at first base, though slightly below average in center field. He added 13 steals in 15 attempts. The all-around prowess produced 4.9 fWAR, tied with Kyle Schwarber for 18th in the majors and second on the Yankees behind Judge.

After the season, Bellinger opted out of the final year of the three-year, $80 million contract he signed with the Cubs before the 2024 season. Bellinger would have been paid $25 million in 2026.

“I just think the whole dynamic suited them and suited him,” said Scott Boras, Bellinger’s agent. “It was really an ideal fit. It was really a well-made ride for everybody.”

Bellinger isn’t the only prominent Yankees outfielder who could sign elsewhere this offseason. Trent Grisham, another breakout contributor in 2025, has until Tuesday to accept the club’s one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer or test free agency, where he would undoubtedly receive interest from several clubs on a lucrative multiyear contract after slugging a career-high 34 home runs.

Cashman said Grisham accepting the qualifying offer will not prevent the Yankees from pursuing Bellinger. Cashman added the team could pursue both outfielders in free agency should Grisham choose that route. For now, Bellinger, after shining in the Bronx, is a priority.

“We’d be better served if we could retain him,” Cashman said. “But if not, then we’ll have to look at alternatives, ways to fill it and see where that takes us. But it’s pretty early in the process. But I said it before, and I’ll say it again: Of course we’d like to have him back.”

Source link

MLB.com is keeping track of the latest news and rumors surrounding Cody Bellinger.

Tyrone Taylor, Jeff McNeil and Cedric Mullins got the most starts in center for the Mets last season. However, the Mets, per Ragazzo, are expected to field trade offers for McNeil this offseason, and Mullins is a free agent.

Bellinger could also appeal to the Mets since he has already proven that the New York lights are not too bright for him. He is coming off of a solid season as a Yankee, featuring 29 homers, a 114 wRC+ and 4.9 FanGraphs WAR.

Re-signing Bellinger should be one of New Yorkâ€s top priorities this offseason. The 30-year-old is coming off his best overall season since his MVP year in 2019, producing 29 homers, 98 RBIs and an .814 OPS over 152 games for the Yanks, who acquired him from the Cubs in December after losing Juan Soto to the Mets.

Bellingerâ€s defensive versatility — he can handle all three outfield spots and first base — adds further value, and his left-handed swing is tailor-made for Yankee Stadiumâ€s short right-field porch. Heâ€s also been effective against left-handed pitching, meaning he doesnâ€t require a platoon partner. Bellinger, though, could have a long list of suitors, especially as a lower-cost backup plan for clubs in the mix for right fielder Kyle Tucker, this yearâ€s top free agent.

Source link

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.

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

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€

[Get more New York news: Yankees team feed]

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.

Advertisement

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.

Source link

• 

  Jorge CastilloOct 10, 2025, 10:53 AM ET

  Close

  ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the Washington Wizards from 2014 to 2016 and the Washington Nationals from 2016 to 2018 for The Washington Post before covering the Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB for the Los Angeles Times from 2018 to 2024.

As expected, New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger plans to opt out of his contract and become a free agent next month, a source told ESPN.

Bellinger, 30, has a $25 million player option for next season. After a rebound season in his first year in pinstripes, he presumably will receive widespread interest in free agency — it should yield a lucrative multi-year contract.

The Yankees acquired Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs last December. For the Cubs, he was a salary dump days after they acquired Kyle Tucker.

For the Yankees, he was part of the swift pivot from Juan Soto. In the end, the 2019 NL MVP ended up being their second-most valuable player.

Editor’s Picks

1 Related

Hitting behind Aaron Judge most of the season, Bellinger batted .272 with 29 home runs and an .813 OPS in 152 games in 2025. He was especially productive against left-handed pitching despite hitting left-handed, leading all left-handed hitters in on-base percentage (.415) and slugging (.601) against lefties.

He was also one of the sport’s top defenders: Bellinger accumulated seven Outs Above Average and eight Defensive Runs Saved between the three outfield positions and first base. He added 13 steals in 15 attempts. His 4.9 fWAR was tied with Kyle Schwarber for 18th in the majors and second on the Yankees behind Judge.

Bellinger signed a three-year, $80 million — with opt-outs after the first and second years — with the Cubs before the 2024 season. He had declined the Cubs’ qualifying offer earlier in the offseason.

Other Yankees expected to reach free agency include outfielder Trent Grisham, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, and relievers Devin Williams and Luke Weaver.

Source link

Outfielder Cody Bellinger intends to decline his $25 million player option for the 2026 season, making him a free agent.

ESPN’s Jorge Castillo reported Bellinger intends to opt out of his deal with the New York Yankees and test the open market.

The Yankees acquired Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs last December for right-handed pitcher Cody Poteet. He enjoyed a productive season in New York, hitting .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI while scoring 89 runs. Bellinger was excellent in the field as well with 11 total runs saved, per Fielding Bible.

Bellinger arrived in the majors in 2017 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he provided an immediate positive impact, hitting 39 home runs and posting a .933 OPS while winning NL Rookie of the Year honors, making the All-Star Game and even finishing ninth in the NL MVP race. He helped L.A. win the NL pennant as well.

Bellinger’s best season was 2019, when he won NL MVP honors after hitting .305 (1.035 OPS) with 47 home runs and 115 RBI.

Bellinger then endured a three-year slump, in part because of numerous injuries suffered during the 2021 season, when he hit just .165 over 95 games. From 2020-2022, Bellinger hit just .203 (.648 OPS).

After the 2022 season, Bellinger left the Dodgers for the Cubs in free agency on a one-year, $17.5 million deal. He enjoyed a great bounce-back campaign in 2023, hitting .307 (.881 OPS) with 26 home runs and 97 RBI in 130 games. Bellinger finished 10th in the NL MVP race and earned his second career Silver Slugger award.

He re-signed with Chicago on a three-year, $80 million deal after the season. Following the 2024 campaign, the Cubs went in a different direction, adding outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros, leaving Chicago with extra players at the position. And so Bellinger went to the Bronx, a place his father, Clay Bellinger, called home from 1999-2001 as a utility man for the Yanks.

Bellinger enjoyed a great 2025 season, but this is a situation where the 30-year-old should cash in on a fantastic year and look for a lucrative, long-term deal.

Source link