Whom should Yankees pursue between Cody Bellinger, Kyle Tucker?

With time to reflect on their latest failure, the New York Yankees have a tough decision at hand. Cody Bellinger has indicated he will opt out, leaving the Yankees with a gaping hole in the outfield and two unproven players — Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones — to fill the void. There is always the option of re-signing Bellinger, who was a key part of this year’s team; however, there is another option who might be even better.

Chicago Cubs marquee star Kyle Tucker will be stepping out of the friendly confines and into the free-agent market. Tucker’s free agency is set to be one of the top stories of the MLB offseason. 

Either one would fill the Yankees’ glaring void — Bellinger would be filling the void he vacated — but given the choice of these two impact players, which would be more beneficial? Let’s compare the two and review how each might fit the Yankees’ needs.

Cody Bellinger's case 

The all-important hitter behind Judge, Bellinger posted a .272/.334/.480 slash line with 29 home runs and 13 stolen bases in 588 at-bats. The former MVP, Gold Glover and Rookie of the Year is seemingly past his early-career prime, but his results are still solid.

The Yankees might find his age problematic now that he’s on the wrong side of 30 (turning 31 next season). This will make his appreciation in price a little harder to swallow for a cautious team like the Yankees.

But beyond his age concerns, if there is any reason the Yankees shouldn’t pursue Bellinger, it is because they already lost with him. In the postseason, Bellinger fell short of expectations, going 6-for-28 with one home run and two walks. His career postseason slash line leaves much to be desired, hitting .211/.282/.378 with 10 home runs in 270 at-bats.

Re-signing him doesn’t qualify as an improvement; it just ensures the Yankees don’t fall behind where they were in 2025. The real question is if Tucker is an improvement.

Kyle Tucker's case 

Tucker, who turns 29 in January, has never reached the same heights as Bellinger, but he has been far more consistent and owns much better career numbers. This year, Tucker finished with a .266/.377/.464 slash line, 22 home runs and 25 stolen bases in 500 at-bats. His remarkable .377 on-base percentage was seventh-highest in baseball. 

For the most part, it was a down year for Tucker, who dealt with a fractured right hand in June and a left calf strain in August, both of which weren’t revealed at the time of their initial occurrences. But regardless of his injury-impacted season (he also missed significant time with injuries last year), his stats from recent years have been good.

Tucker comes with 30-home-run potential (probably more in the Bronx) and 30-stolen-base potential. Like Bellinger, he also has a Gold Glove.

With the Cubs this postseason, Tucker went 7-for-27 with one home run and five walks. Though it wasn’t an astounding campaign, it was still considerably better than Bellinger’s. Tucker owns a .233/.317/.376 slash line with nine home runs in 245 playoff at-bats. Besides his injury history, if there’s one reason not to sign Tucker, it is the price, which will undoubtedly exceed Bellinger’s.

Final word 

Bellinger was great in pinstripes, but Tucker’s potential in the Bronx is too good to pass up. In addition, Tucker’s postseason numbers are better, and above all else, winning World Series title No. 28 is the goal. 

Given his power, speed, on-base numbers and postseason record, it would appear Tucker gives the Yankees a better chance of achieving their goal.