The New York Yankees will be tasked this offseason with plenty of free agent decisions. Many of the team's top contributors will either be an outright free agent or have the opportunity to hit the open market. Some of those names include Trent Grisham, Devil Williams, and Luke Weaver.
The Yankees are among the few teams in Major League Baseball that are willing to spend whatever it takes to acquire top players. New York's front office will also have a major decision to make regarding outfielder Cody Bellinger, who has the option to opt out of his contract.
Cody Bellinger is predicted to opt out of his contract
A couple of seasons ago, Cody Bellinger signed a three-year, $60 million deal while with the Chicago Cubs, and then was traded to the Yankees before this season.
ESPN's Jeff Passan predicts that Cody Bellinger will hit the open market and test his worth in free agency:
"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."
Bellinger has been everything and more for the New York Yankees this season, but he is a Scott Boras client. Boras' clients are notorious for opting out of their current contracts in order to seek more lucrative deals.
However, it does make sense for Bellinger to re-sign with the Yankees, or at least for New York to make a strong effort to bring him back. The short porch at Yankee Stadium helps Bellinger's SLUG numbers, and he also plays an incredible defensive outfield and can slot in at first base.