Jorge CastilloNov 12, 2025, 08:37 PM ET
- 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.
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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.”
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