The New York Yankees have gotten a great return from outfielder and first baseman Cody Bellinger, someone they need to keep around in free agency.
While Bellinger has been in this league for a good bit and has accomplished plenty, it's important that the Yankees understand that even at his age and being a bit older now, he's still a very valuable player at the highest level.
The Yankees acquired Bellinger in a deal with the Chicago Cubs during the offseason. While the Cubs have played decent baseball and look poised to make the postseason, it's also fair to wonder if they miss Bellinger at this point, considering what he's done in a Yankees jersey.
Cody Bellinger makes free agent plans known
For the Yankees, however, there are certainly some question marks about what the team might do with him in free agency. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, all Bellinger wants in free agency is an opportunity to win. The Yankees should give him that, depending on how things go over the next few years.
"Bellinger told me the other day that he wants to play for a winner, that's his only prerequisite," Heyman said on MLB Network.
"Bellinger has had a terrific year in the Bronx, in fact one Yankees person told me 'he's our best player,' " Heyman said. "That's obviously an exaggeration, but he has been really good in four spots, [...] I do think he would stay in a big market, whether it's the Yankees or — the Mets would be a fit too."
The question for the Yankees will likely come down to what Bellinger's contract will look like.
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Some believe that he'll certainly opt out of his deal, which is a given at this point.
When examining what his next contract could look like, Spotrac has him at a six-year, $181.8 million deal. That would come in at about $30.3 million.
If that’s what Bellinger gets from the Yankees, it's safe to say that the Cubs made the right decision by trading him. He's a very good player still at this stage, but certainly not worth nearly $200 million.