TL;DR
- New York Yankees nearing agreement to re-sign Cody Bellinger, according to SNY.
- Bellinger was traded from Chicago Cubs before 2025 season to Los Angeles Dodgers.
- Dodgers viewed Bellinger as Plan B to Kyle Tucker's potential $400 million deal.
- Bellinger offers defensive flexibility and could be a valuable asset for the Yankees.
Sources indicate the New York Yankees are nearing an agreement to re-sign outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger, as reported by SNY’s Emmanuel Berbari on Baseball Night in NY.
Bellinger was traded from the Chicago Cubs before the 2025 season, as it happened, to allow for Kyle Tucker, who was obtained from the Houston Astros in exchange for third baseman Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski, and third baseman Cam Smith.
Bellinger is, or perhaps was, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Plan B to giving Tucker a potential $400 million deal this offseason, according to USA Today’s Gabe Lacques.
“Bellinger, who will surely want a nine-figure deal that seemed inevitable a half-decade ago, will come for a fraction of the cost. And he’s probably a better fit: Bellinger can play all three outfield positions as well as first base, a crucial bit of optionality as Teoscar Hernández and Freddie Freeman hit free agency after 2027 and 30-plus stars like Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani may need to shift roles,” Lacques wrote.
A more streamlined outfield could improve defense: Bellinger's seven outs above average in 2025 match the defensive prowess of Harrison Bader and trail only Gold Glove recipient Fernando Tatis Jr. By one. Should they choose, the Dodgers might benefit from Bellinger's elevated output over Conforto's, while tolerating Andy Pages' offensive limitations and retaining his 11 outs above average in center field, thereby establishing an exceptionally strong defensive outfield.
“Yep, L.A. Belli v.2.0 would be a pretty nice fit.”
Obviously, that plan doesn’t look likely for LAD any longer. They may have to go with their Plan A and ink Tucker to an unfathomable contract to further ruin baseball.
From The Pinstripes' viewpoint, it seems the Yankees have secured a valuable player, with an announcement likely imminent. Any free agent pursued by The Dodgers currently should be viewed in this light.
Los Angeles recognizes his capabilities, which explains their desire for his return. It's possible Cashman outsmarted Andrew Friedman in this negotiation. Alternatively, Friedman might have pretended to want him back solely to inflate the cost.
You can never be too anxious about the Dodgers.