Cody Bellinger Is The Yankees Top Target This Offseason

After a disappointing exit in the Divisional Series to the Toronto Blue Jays, Brian Cashman has a lot of work to do this offseason. The biggest decision will be whether they re-sign Cody Bellinger. He is one of the top names on the market, alongside Kyle Tucker, with many expecting New York to come out of free agency with one of the two.

Bellinger Is Their Top Priority

According to Jon Heyman, the New York Yankees are targeting Bellinger, and Kyle Tucker is the backup plan should Bellinger sign elsewhere. In his first season with the Yankees, Bellinger was everything they could’ve asked for and made jaw-dropping plays with his bat and his glove. His price will be high in the offseason, with the Mets and Dodgers expected to be top bidders alongside the Yankees. 

The biggest question Cashman has to ask himself is whether or not Bellinger will be worth $30+ million per season on a long-term deal. He’ll be turning 31 in the middle of next season, and this will likely be the last big contract he receives in his professional career. I don’t think it’s a smart decision to sign Bellinger to a long-term deal, given how quickly it could backfire in just a few years. With Aaron Judge getting older, the Yankees need to add an elite hitter to go alongside the three-time MVP.

We saw how good Judge was when Soto was in Pinstripes, and how much it affected the team in the playoffs without a real threat behind/ahead of Aaron Judge in the lineup. With that being said, Kyle Tucker needs to be the player that Brian Cashman and the Yankees go all in for.

Tucker Would Feast In The Bronx

If the Yankees added Tucker, their lineup would be transformed. Judge and Tucker would form one of baseball’s best duos and instantly upgrade over Cody Bellinger. Despite injuries and playing in a pitcher-friendly park, Tucker still outperformed him last season. 

Tucker posted a higher OBP, OPS, and walk rate than Bellinger in 2025. Playing as many games in Yankee Stadium as Bellinger likely would have improved Tucker’s numbers. The Yankees were highly interested in Tucker when the Astros made him available, but he was traded to the Cubs. 

The most fascinating aspect is that he could earn more than Tucker, given his defense and versatility. If so, it’s a further reason for the Yankees to aggressively pursue the star outfielder this offseason.