Cody Bellinger seems likely to spend 2026 in the Big Apple.
But which part of the apple?
The New York Yankees are in the running to bring Bellinger back after a prodigious 2025 season.
The New York Mets appear the biggest threat to steal Bellinger away from the Bronx.
MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported as much in a new article on Thursday night. He sees these as the two ballclubs leading the pursuit of Bellinger.
"The Mets have been among the teams most often connected to Bellinger, and after trading Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, the need for an outfielder (or two) is clear," Feinsand writes. "The two New York teams seem like the obvious fits for Bellinger, though the Angels, Blue Jays and Dodgers remain in the mix."
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Feinsand also provided an update on the potential timeline for a Bellinger contract.
"Bellinger settled on a shorter-term deal the last time he hit the free-agent market, but with no qualifying offer attached to him as he enters his age-30 season, he’s likely to wait as long as he can until he finds the long-term deal that has evaded him," Feinsand wrote.
That could be a way for the Mets to differentiate themselves. If they come to the table with a longer-term deal for Bellinger, that could accelerate the wait time to getting a signature.
Nothing is a given. Bellinger may decide he doesn't want to leave Yankee Stadium. But if he wants to try somewhere new, Queens may hold the answer.
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