Apr 23, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Cody Bellinger (35) rounds the bases in an attempt to score during the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Bellinger was thrown out at home plate. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Yankees Have Cody Bellinger Backup Options

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Michael Rosenstein | Last updated Jan 7, 2026 3:00 PM ET

Like sand through the hour glass, so are the days of the New York Yankees' lives.

General manager Brian Cashman reportedly has made multiple offers to free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger. Re-signing the two-time All-Star appears to be the club's top priority and main focus.

But the Yankees don't have the luxury of waiting around and hoping Bellinger decides to run it back in the Bronx.

With that in mind, The Athletic's Brendan Kuty pitched some backup options for the Yankees.

Backup Options

"Austin Hays remains a free agent, and could potentially platoon with (Jasson) Domínguez," Kuty wrote. "Last season, Hays hit .319 with two home runs but a .949 OPS (nine doubles, three triples) in 105 plate appearances versus lefties. For his career, he has a .819 OPS versus lefties."

Problem is, the Yankees aren't the only club looking at Hays. So are the New York Mets, who tradedBrandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers and lost first baseman Pete Alonso in free agency to the Baltimore Orioles.

"They're looking at Austin Hays. Bellinger would be the top choice; they just haven't named the right number of years yet," the New York Post's Jon Heyman reports.

The 30-year-old Hays made is a one-time All-Star (2023) who has experience playing all three outfield positions.

He joined the Reds as a free agent ahead of the 2025 season, signing a one-year, $5 million contract. This year, Hays hit .266 with 15 home runs and 64 RBIs.

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

But he struggled with injuries in 2025, playing in just 103 games because of three stints on the injured list with three different ailments.

In November, Cincinnati declined its one-year, $12 million mutual option on Hays, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. Instead Hays received a $1 million buyout and became a free agent.

Stop-gap Option

"Tommy Pham is also a free agent, and he owns an .802 career OPS versus lefties," Kuty added.

Pham, 37, would be a stop-gap option. The 12-year veteran spent the 2025 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, hitting .245 with 10 home runs and 52 RBIs in 120 games.

Possible Trade Targets

"There has been speculation that the Cleveland Guardians could seek to trade Steven Kwan and that the St. Louis Cardinals could trade Brendan Donovan," Kuty noted.

Kwan has won a Gold Glove Award in each of his four MLB seasons and made the All-Star roster in each of the last two years. He also finished third in American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2022.

"To me, Kwan is another Brett Gardner, maybe even a little better," NJ Advance Media's Randy Miller noted last month. "Just look at Kwan’s stats for the last two years, .292 with 14 homers and 12 steals in 2024, .272 with 11 homers and 21 steals in 2025."

Donovan, 28, is a one-time All-Star with one Gold Glove Award on his resume. in 2025, he hit a career-high .287 with 10 home runs and 50 RBIs in 118 games.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon report the Cardinals are working hard to trade Donovan, but so far haven't found a deal to their liking.

"The Cardinals view Donovan as a star player while not all clubs see him that way, according to people briefed on the conversations," Rosenthal and Sammon write.

"Donovan, who turns 29 this month, offers many appealing qualities, from his swing decisions to his bat-to-ball skills, his defensive versatility to his makeup," Rosenthal and Sammon add.

"Donovan also is under club control for only two more seasons, the second of which is threatened by a lockout. The Kansas City Royals remain among the teams interested, but if the Cardinals prefer premium young bats, the Seattle Mariners are perhaps the best fit," Rosenthal and Sammon conclude.

Of course, if the Yankees whiff on Bellinger and don't add an outfielder via trade or free agency, they can run it back in 2026 with Aaron Judge, Trent Grisham and Jasson Dominguez. Top slugging prospect Spencer Jones also would be in the mix.

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