The New York Yankees want to bring Cody Bellinger back.
But apparently they don't plan on offering him the moon, either, and that could leave the door open for the New York Mets to continue their own free agent pursuit of the slugging left-handed hitter.
Reports over the last week have indicated that the Yankees are pretty much dug in on what they're offering Bellinger.
Newark Star-Ledger veteran Bob Klapisch reported this on Sunday, aligning with that and adding some specifics:
"#Yankees have made an internal decision not to engage in a bidding war for Cody Bellinger if #Mets or anyone else swoops in with a blow-away offer. Yankees believe they've made a fair proposal - five years, $160 million, two opt-outs. They're prepared to let Bellinger walk."
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The Yanks have a bit of luxury here. If Bellinger leaves, it frees up more playing time for promising young players Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones.
Purely on the basis of need, the Mets probably need Bellinger more. They have been seeking a good centerfielder since the beginning of the 2025 season. Bellinger would fill that role.
There's been some thought that a team like the Blue Jays could get involved, too, although the recent chatter seems to mostly involve the Yankees and Mets.
The Mets did this last offseason when they won the bidding war for Juan Soto to get him to leave the Bronx.
If they do that again, it'll be quite exciting for Mets fans, and pretty brutal for Yanks supporters.
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