Oct 5, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game two of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

Yankees Urged to Pick Cody Bellinger Over Cubs Star

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Jack Markowski | Last updated Oct 26, 2025 7:38 AM ET

The debate between re-signing Cody Bellinger or making a huge splash by inking Kyle Tucker to a mega deal this offseason has already been a major topic of discussion in New York Yankees circles, and it's not going to subside any time soon.

Considering the Yankees need outfield help and are almost certainly going to be limited to signing just one of those two players, however, several executives around the league believe the club should stick with Bellinger rather than adding Tucker given how well the former performed during his first season in The Bronx.

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Anonymous Executives Sound Off on Bellinger vs. Tucker Discourse

Two anonymous MLB executives offered their opinion on the subject matter in a recent piece by Joel Sherman of the New York Post, with one noting just how well his play style fits Yankee Stadium while the other believes he'll generate a strong market given his versatility.

"He’s gone from a super-volatile player to one who in the last three years is more predictable,” Executive No. 1 said, per Sherman. “He’s been consistent. He has posted. And I think that the guy who hit .266 with 18 homers [for the Cubs in 2024] was a lot like the guy who hit .272 with 29 homers [for the Yankees last year]. It is just that he is a perfect fit for Yankee Stadium.”

“He will be 31 midway through next year, but still, he fits so many teams because he plays so many positions well. He’s going to do well [in the market]," Executive No. 2 said.

Bellinger is Less Risky for Yankees

Doling out large amounts of cash in free agency is always going to come with a ton of risk, but from that standpoint, bringing Bellinger back is a safer decision for the Yankees over winning the bidding war for Tucker.

Bellinger was an upper-echelon player in 2025, slashing .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs, 98 RBIs and 4.9 fWAR while playing all three outfield positions as well as first base.

Tucker's numbers weren't all that different, as he finished with an OPS of .841 to go alongside 22 homers, 25 stolen bases and 4.5 fWAR, but he posted his worst defensive season in quite some time in right field with -1 Defensive Runs Saved and -2 Outs Above Average.

Though Tucker is a model of consistency, having mashed over 22 homers with an fWAR above 4.2 in each of the past five seasons, there's no reason New York should pay him potentially double, if not more, than what Bellinger is going to command on the open market.

It's a different story if the Yankees simply lose Bellinger to another club and pivot to Tucker as a result, but if they are picking between the two, the former is a far more logical choice.

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