Yankees Cody Bellinger Competition is Getting Crowded

The New York Yankees are on the clock. MLB's General Manager meetings begin this week in Las Vegas and plenty of eyes will be on Brian Cashman to see what, if anything, he decides on Cody Bellinger.

"Among the top priorities this offseason is expected to be trying to re-sign Cody Bellinger, who opted out of the one year and $25 million left on his contract in the wake of a strong first season in pinstripes," the New York Post's Greg Joyce notes.

"But Bellinger, without the qualifying offer attached to him, should have a crowded market for his services, the 30-year-old outfielder/first baseman expected to fetch a multiyear contract north of $150 million," Joyce adds.

Contract Projection

That's in line with what MLB Trade Rumors is reporting, with the site projecting Bellinger will get a five-year, $140 million contract.

"Bellinger didn’t get the colossal long-term deal he and the Boras Corporation surely sought coming off his original 2023 rebound season with the Cubs, but it was a no-brainer for him to opt out of the final season of his current deal when it was a net $20MM decision," MLB Trade Rumors Notes.

"Bellinger, who cannot receive a qualifying offer after receiving one earlier in his career, has already banked $77MM since being non-tendered by the Dodgers, and he’s now firmly in position to get the nine-figure deal that eluded him in the 2023-24 offseason. The Yankees want to keep him, and Bellinger would make sense for the Mets, Phillies, Tigers, Giants, Blue Jays, Reds, Padres and Guardians, among others," MLB Trade Rumors adds.

Active Market

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand says the Yankees, New York Mets and Detroit Tigers are the best fits for Bellinger.

The Athletic's Jim Bowden lists the Yankees, Mets, Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Guardians, Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners as best fits for Bellinger.

"The Yankees are prioritizing Cody Bellinger, and while word is he’d like to return, there’s no sense it will go quickly," the New York Post's Jon Heyman reports.

"I think the Yankees are going to kind of be in it," according to the New York Post's Joel Sherman. "And my suspicion is do what the Yankees usually do, which is when they really want a player, they let Scott Boras in this case know, 'We really want your player. If he really wants us, don't let him sign without us getting in at the end.'"