The New York Yankees are trying to re-sign Cody Bellinger to round out their outfield this offseason. While they're trying to bring back the 30-year-old outfielder, they are far from the only team interested.
Aside from the Yankees, the New York Mets and a few others are likely to show interest. Amid mounting interest and the first wave of free agency complete, Bellinger's new projected contract is a bit different from what it was at the start of the offseason.
ESPN's David Schoenfield made a new contract projection for Bellinger, and after an early-offseason projection of $160 million, Bellinger's new total has the superstar outfielder projected to land a $185 million deal this winter.
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"Initial projection: 6 years, $165 million," Schoenfield projected at the start of the offseason. "New projection: 6 years, $180 million."
Thanks to the free agent moves, with Kyle Schwarber landing a $150 million five-year deal and Pete Alonso signing a $155 million five-year deal, the free agent market went on an upswing.
Those two contracts for Schwarber and Alonso are $30 million per year for designated hitter types. Bellinger isn't the same quality of hitter as either, but he's still a 25-plus homer slugger with an.800 OPS at minimum.
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Players like that don't grow on trees, and when adding that he's at least two years younger than either hitter, and plays great defense in the outfield and at first base, it would be a surprise to see Bellinger land a deal smaller than Alonso or Schwarber.
A six-year deal worth $30 million per year would have his contract total at $180 million. Based on the contracts for Alonso and Schwarber, this new projection is much more realistic.
The Yankees will be facing an uphill battle to re-sign him, but with their eagerness to bring him back, the Schwarber and Alonso deals are benchmarks to break this winter.
Bellinger is going to land a strong new contract this winter, and whether it's from the Yankees or another club, it's a deal that could very easily reach $180 million total.
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