Oct 7, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) hits a double in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game three of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

NL Contenders Squeezing Yankees On Cody Bellinger?

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Michael Rosenstein | Last updated Nov 13, 2025 10:30 AM ET

MLB free agency is in full swing this week at the GM meetings in Las Vegas, Nev. One of the most popular names being tossed around is Cody Bellinger . Yes, the New York Yankees want to re-sign the outfielder, but general manager Brian Cashman is seeing Hot Stove season, well, heat up.

"Could Cody Bellinger wind up returning to the Dodgers? L.A. will be in the OF market, and he still has some fans there," The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports.

"Bellinger is said to have loved his time in L.A., which included his greatest heights (an MVP) and only lows (two injury-wracked offensive seasons)," Heyman adds.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Should the New York Mets fail to re-sign Pete Alonso, the New York Post's Joel Sherman reports Bellinger could bolt the Bronx for Queens.

"Bellinger, by the way, is third in left-on-left OPS (.881) over the past two seasons. He can play center or first. He is New York proven. Has an exceptional baseball IQ. And if there is a fringe benefit in taking a lefty-hitting stalwart from the Yankees two years in a row, so be it," Sherman writes.

Yankees Still In It

But don't out the Yankees, Heyman notes.

"Bellinger also enjoys being a Yankee, and they have to be considered an early favorite since they made him a priority. All he said when asked in-season was that he wants to play for a winner," Heyman reports.

To that end, Cashman is talking the talk.

“We’re very interested in bringing (Bellinger) back,” Cashman said, according to NJ.com's Randy Miller. “Obviously now that he’s a free agent, he’s gonna have a lot of choices because he can do a lot of different things.

“We’d be better served if we could retain him. If not, then we’ll have to look at alternative ways to fill it and see where that takes us. But it’s pretty early in the process.

“I said it before and I’ll say it again: Of course we’d like to have him back," Cashman added, per Miller.

The Yankees acquired Bellinger in a December 2024 trade with the Chicago Cubs.

He proceeded to hit 29 home runs and drive in 98 runs while posting a 5.0 WAR in New York, his highest totals since winning the 2019 National League MVP Award with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Bellinger opted out of his three-year, $80 million contract by turning down his $25 million option for 2026.

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