There is no player the New York Yankees are trying to sign this winter more than free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger.
After a successful 2025 season with the Yankees, Brian Cashman and company are trying to bring back the veteran outfield for the foreseeable future. But the two sides are still apart, and no deal is close as of now.
Brendan Kuty of The Athletic revealed an update on Bellinger's contract, which featured a potentially lofty $210 million contract this winter for the 30-year-old veteran.
Yankees get $210 million Cody Bellinger free agent update
"The New York Yankees' latest multi-year contract offer to free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger featured an average annual value of more than $30 million a year as Bellinger's camp continued to push for seven years," Kuty reports.
Bellinger has a multi-year offer on the table worth more than $30 million per season, which is no small amount.
It would be among the top outfielders in Major League Baseball, with only Juan Soto ($51 million), Aaron Judge ($40 million), Mike Trout ($35.5 million), and Mookie Betts ($30.4 million) at a higher AAV.
Bellinger is seeing seven years, but offering $30 million per year at least over that span would mean he's getting $210 million total.
It's a huge deal for the Yankees to hand out, and might not be likely this offseason, especially amid the Yankees' clear plans not spend too much this winter.
More: No one is talking about this team as a sleeper in Cody Bellinger's free agency market
They want Bellinger back, but with the two sides still far apart, this might not be a feasible bridge to cross if Bellinger wants the same AAV over seven years.
But if the Yankees and Bellinger could agree to a seven-year deal that's for a lower AAV but more overall money, it might be more feasible for the Yankees.
As of now, there is no indication of what Bellinger is actually seeking from the Yankees, as the gap between the two is reportedly large, but the full extent isn't known.
Keeping Bellinger is proving to be difficult for the Yankees, and this update, with a $30 million AAV deal and Bellinger seeking seven years, provides a $210 million benchmark to keep in mind as negotiations continue this winter.
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- Rangers' rotation pitched as needing this free agent signing