The New York Yankees have been one of the biggest spenders in free agency, and heading into this winter, the expectation remained the same.
However, Hal Steinbrenner and the Yankees front office aren't planning to spend big this winter, citing their big commitments already holding them back from being big spenders this offseason.
Despite that, Bob Nightengale of USA Today predicts that Steinbrenner will open the checkbook, caving to Cody Bellinger's contract demands this winter.
Yankees' Hal Steinbrenner predicted to cave, re-sign Cody Bellinger
"The Yankees are making no secret how bad they want Bellinger, but money talks, and so far they haven't given him a lucrative long-term contract." Nightengale writes. "Prediction: Hal Steinbrenner opens his checkbook and signs Bellinger, but nothing close to the pricetag Tucker is seeking."
Bellinger is a much more realistic option for the Yankees amid their conservative stance this offseason, as a player like Kyle Tucker is likely to sign a massive contract, which would wind up being double what Bellinger signs for this offseason.
More: Yankees 'Plan B' if Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger sign elsewhere revealed
Steinbrenner is planning to keep things under wraps, and a big Bellinger extension might not be in the cards. But Nightengale predicts Steinbrenner will cave and offer Bellinger the big contract he's looking for this offseason.
Bellinger is 30 years old and coming off his best season since his 2019 MVP year with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He had 5.1 bWAR with 29 home runs and a.272 batting average, and a.813 OPS, along with great defense at first base and in the outfield.
The nine-year MLB veteran is drawing a lot of interest from around the Major Leagues, and the Yankees will have to spend big to keep him.
While Steinbrenner and the Yankees have expressed conservative spending this offseason, Nightengale predicts that Bellinger is too good to pass up, and the Yankees will cave.
More Yankees News:
- Winter Meetings may force Yankees to choose which young star to trade
- Yankees linked to free agent Blue Jays All-Star as huge Anthony Volpe upgrade
- How Yankees' Cody Bellinger decision could lead to big trade rumors
- Cody Bellinger's free agency update is bad news for Yankees
- Yankees linked to signing free agent pitcher to follow in Masahiro Tanaka's footsteps
- ESPN trade rumor has Yankees acquiring two veteran stars from Twins
- Yankees urged to swap Jasson Dominguez to Marlins for 6'5'' ace