Yankees, Mets targeting Austin Hays amid Cody Bellinger pursuit

The New York Yankees and New York Mets are vying for the same free agent once again. Cody Bellinger is the last big position player on the market, and both New York clubs could use his services. But one won’t land him, which has them setting up a backup plan. The Yankees and Mets have kept in contact with Austin Hays throughout the winter, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

“Cardinals, Yankees, and Mets are among many teams who’ve maintained contact with free agent OF Austin Hays, who was fully healthy and had a very nice season in 2025. Cody Bellinger remains the top OF target of the two NY teams,” Heyman reported.

Hays spent the first seven years of his career with the Baltimore Orioles. He posted a .747 OPS and a 10.1 bWAR in that run and was a 2024 trade deadline move to the Philadelphia Phillies. After a half-season there, he was a free agent and went to the Cincinnati Reds.

In his one year with the Reds, Hays hit 15 homers, drove in 64 runs, and posted a .768 OPS. That has him slated for a good shot at making one of the New York rosters coming up this spring. But both the Yankees and Mets are looking to add Bellinger’s elite glove to their clubhouse this winter.

The third team that Heyman mentioned alongside the Yankees and Mets is the St Louis Cardinals. They have dumped a lot of salary this offseason, which means they need to add some short-term contracts to put a team on the field. Hays is wisely waiting out the Bellinger situation before signing up for 162 games of mediocrity in St Louis.

The Yankees and Mets will continue their stare-off for Bellinger. The loser’s fans will react horribly, but Hays is not the worst secondary option.