When the New York Yankees lost the Juan Soto sweepstakes this past winter, many wondered how they would fill the void left behind by one of the brightest young stars in the game.
Enter Cody Bellinger, who was traded in a salary dump move by the Chicago Cubs to the Yankees in exchange for Cody Poteet. Needless to say, the trade has paid dividends for the Yankees. Bellinger is hitting .273 with 29 home runs, 97 RBI’s, and a .824 OPS as the season winds down.
Bellinger likely to opt-out following this season
Bellinger has an opt-out in his contract after the season. At this point, it seems likely that he will opt out, and seek a more lucrative deal in free agency. Yahoo! Sports’ Jake Mintz ranked Bellinger as the eighth-best free agent available this winter.
“Entering this season, Bellinger’s first in the Bronx, it seemed unlikely that the bleary-eyed lefty would opt out of the final year of the three-year, $80 million contract he signed with Chicago entering 2024,” Mintz said. “Now, after a sensational 2025, that has become a near-lock. By wins above replacement, Bellinger has been the Yankee’s second-most valuable player behind Aaron Judge. Offensively, he’s closer to very good than elite, but Gold Glove defense at all three outfield spots pumps up his profile.”
The Yankees will now be tasked with a tough decision to make in the offseason. On one hand, Bellinger seems to have re-discovered at least a portion of his former MVP self in the Bronx. On the other, Bellinger is now entering his 30’s, begging the question of just how much longer will he remain this productive.