The longer the offseason went, the more it seemed to make the most sense for Cody Bellinger and the New York Yankees to find their way back to each other.
After a contract stalemate that dragged out deep into January, Bellinger and the Yankees agreed to a deal Wednesday for the slugger to reassume his spot in New York's lineup as critical protection for Aaron Judge.
Bellinger enjoyed a successful first season in the Bronx, batting.272 with 29 home runs and an.813 OPS while seeing time in all three outfield spots and playing well defensively. The New York Mets were known to be one team interested in Bellinger, but they closed that door by bringing in both Bo Bichette and Luis Robert within the past week.
Here's what you need to know about Bellinger's new deal with the Yankees.
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Cody Bellinger contract details
Bellinger agreed to a five-year, $162.5 million contract with opt-outs after the 2027 and 2028 seasons, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported. The deal includes a full no-trade clause and a $20 million signing bonus.
The Yankees are paying up to retain Bellinger, giving him a deal worth more than what the Baltimore Orioles paid Pete Alonso and the Philadelphia Phillies paid Kyle Schwarber. Bellinger, meanwhile, gives himself some flexibility with the ability to opt out after the second and third years, similar to the opt-out heavy deal he signed with the Chicago Cubs two years ago.
Bellinger's return to the Yankees was never certain, though many expected the two to come together eventually. Trent Grisham dealt the Yankees' financials a blow when he accepted his qualifying offer in November, and NJ.com's Bob Klapisch recently reported the two sides were far enough apart that their stalemate could last until February.
By returning to the Yankees, Bellinger shores up the heart of the Yankees' lineup and makes Eugenio Suarez the top remaining bat on the free agent market.
MORE: Mets lineup projection with Luis Robert, Bo Bichette
Yankees lineup projection
| Order | Player | Position |
| 1 | Trent Grisham | CF |
| 2 | Aaron Judge | RF |
| 3 | Cody Bellinger | LF |
| 4 | Ben Rice | 1B |
| 5 | Giancarlo Stanton | DH |
| 6 | Jazz Chisholm Jr. | 2B |
| 7 | Ryan McMahon | 3B |
| 8 | Anthony Volpe | SS |
| 9 | Austin Wells | C |
The Yankees will likely shift their lineup around during the season, as manager Aaron Boone tends to do, but Judge and Bellinger can expect to consistently be the team's No. 2 and No. 3 hitters, respectively.
Re-signing Bellinger allows the Yankees to keep Jasson Dominguez in a fourth outfielder role and provides much-needed protection for Judge near the top of the lineup.
Cody Bellinger stats
| Season | Team | Games | AVG | HR | RBI | OPS |
| 2017 | Dodgers | 132 | .267 | 39 | 97 | .933 |
| 2018 | Dodgers | 162 | .260 | 25 | 76 | .814 |
| 2019 | Dodgers | 156 | .305 | 47 | 115 | 1.035 |
| 2020 | Dodgers | 56 | .239 | 12 | 30 | .789 |
| 2021 | Dodgers | 95 | .165 | 10 | 36 | .542 |
| 2022 | Dodgers | 144 | .210 | 19 | 68 | .654 |
| 2023 | Cubs | 130 | .307 | 26 | 97 | .881 |
| 2024 | Cubs | 130 | .266 | 18 | 78 | .751 |
| 2025 | Yankees | 152 | .272 | 29 | 98 | .813 |
| Career | 1,157 | .261 | 225 | 695 | .817 |
Bellinger was a sensation early in his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and earned NL MVP honors in 2019, but he lost his way at the plate from 2020-22, batting just.165 in 2021 and failing to bounce back in 2022.
After being non-tendered by the Dodgers, Bellinger found his groove again with the Cubs and proved with the Yankees that his resurgence wasn't a fluke.
How old is Cody Bellinger?
Bellinger is 30 years old. He's set to turn 31 on July 13, which is also the same day as the Home Run Derby.