There isn't much thought of Cody Bellinger not opting out of the final year of his contract with the New York Yankees. When the Yankees acquired him in an offseason trade with the Chicago Cubs, unless Bellinger struggled in ways he had never done before, the chances of him opting out were already very high.
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Many expect him to hit the open market once again, including Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Could Cody Bellinger and the New York Mets be a Fit?
Heyman also noted that the New York Mets could be a potential landing spot to poach him from the Bronx. Last offseason, the Mets acquired multiple players who were previously with the Yankees, so they may like Bellinger to be the next one in line.
“At age 30, he’s hitting the market a third time, but the Yankees look like a great marriage. Yankees, Mets," Heyman wrote.
For the Yankees, even if they believe that Bellinger doesn't fit their long-term plans with some of their prospects coming up in the outfield, he should be the team's long-term first baseman.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, he'll be one of the best bats on the market once he turns down that $25 million player option. Passan thinks Bellinger is set to land a nine-figure deal.
“Cody Bellinger, Yankees, outfielder: At 30, Bellinger will be one of the best bats on the market when he turns down his $25 million player option (which includes a $5 million buyout). He's on pace to put up his most home runs and RBIs since his 2019 NL MVP campaign and will seek nine figures this winter,” Passan wrote.
The Yankees have a few moves to make during the offseason, but giving up on Bellinger doesn't make much sense. Even if he's a bit expensive, he's proven that he can play in New York, which is important.