Four teams that could pursue Cody Bellinger in free agency

Cody Bellinger joined the New York Yankees last offseason under a lot of pressure. New York was looking for a left-handed bat to help offset the loss of Juan Soto in free agency, while also hoping that Bellinger's ability to handle multiple positions would prove valuable. Bellinger lived up to both expectations. 

At the plate, he proved to be one of the Yankees' most consistent threats all season. Bellinger slashed .272/.334/.480 (125 OPS+) over 656 PA with 25 doubles, 29 home runs and 98 RBI. His .353/.415/.601 split against left-handed pitchers was the best in the majors. 

In the field, he was just as useful, appearing at more than 40 games at each of the three outfield positions, while also playing several at first base. 

Bellinger earned $27.5 million this season and could choose to remain with the Yankees for one more year and $25 million. He is widely expected to opt out of that remaining year, however, and will have options on the free agent market. 

New York Mets 

There's already an in-town rivalry between the Yankees and Mets, which was only further fueled when Soto moved from one borough to another last winter. Should the Mets steal Bellinger away from the Bronx, tension between the two clubs should get interesting. 

The Mets have a clear fit in the lineup, with first baseman Pete Alonso opting out of the final year of his deal and not expected to return, and a potential hole in the outfield alongside Soto and Brandon Nimmo. Tyrone Taylor saw most of the playing time in center field, hitting just .223/.279/.319 (70 OPS+). Cedric Mullins was brought in at the trade deadline and also struggled, batting .182/.284/.281 (62 OPS+). Taylor is a candidate to be non-tendered and Mullins will be a free agent, so the Mets will need to bring in at least one outfielder to replace them. 

Seattle Mariners 

Like the Mets, Seattle may have several holes in its lineup that Bellinger could slide into neatly. Julio Rodriguez is the only player locked into the outfield daily, though Randy Arozarena will likely flank him if he's not non-tendered (he's projected for a raise to just over $18 million). The club's young players who are close to making an impact are infielders (Colt Emerson and Michael Arroyo) or a catcher (Harry Ford). 

First baseman Josh Naylor proved to be a revelation upon his acquisition from the Diamondbacks in July, hitting .299/.341/.490 (138 OPS+) over the season's final two months. Naylor has been key in Seattle's playoff run, as well, with several clutch defensive plays. He's two years younger than Bellinger and both hit left-handed, but Naylor will also reach free agency.  

Arizona Diamondbacks

Bellinger grew up in the Phoenix area, so there may be some appeal to "coming home". The Diamondbacks have shown an interest in acquiring him before, too, having made an effort to do so last offseason before the Cubs ultimately dealt him to New York. 

Corbin Carroll has proven he's a star in the D-backs outfield, hitting .259/.343/.541 (140 OPS+) while becoming the first player in team history with a 30/30 season (31 HR/32 SB). He's the only player the team can count on regularly in the outfield, however, and this will likely be an area the team targets this winter. 

Arizona could utilize him at first base, as well. 

New York Yankees

A reunion with the Yankees cannot be ruled out. Bellinger thrived in New York, fit in within the clubhouse and seemingly endeared himself quickly to a vocal fanbase. It likely helped some that most Yankees fans remember his father, Clay, who played on two World Series-winning teams in New York between 1999-2001. 

New York has several hitters reaching free agency this offseason -- Bellinger, center fielder Trent Grisham, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and utilityman Amed Rosario -- that will create holes on the roster. Re-signing Bellinger would go a long way to avoid creating a panicked situation where the team is scrambling to add offense this winter.