Yankees Should Be Dreading Cody Bellinger's Impending Contract Decision
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Cody Bellinger has fit the New York Yankees like a glove, making the December trade with the Chicago Cubs an absolute steal.
For the low price of since-released pitcher Cody Poteet, the Yankees got Bellinger and a $5 million cash prize to boot. All the two-time All-Star has done since is become the Yankees' second-best position player behind Aaron Judge, rack up 3.6 bWAR, and endear himself to a tough-to-please fan base.
Of course, Bellinger also has a decision forthcoming. It's a decision that seems more obvious by the day, but it's one the Yankees still might be dreading.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 11: Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees looks on before the start of the fifth inning of the game against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on...
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 11: Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees looks on before the start of the fifth inning of the game against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium on August 11, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by)As he enters the final year of what was originally a three-year, $80 million contract signed with the Cubs before last season, Bellinger can opt out of a $25 million salary and pursue free agency.
On Thursday, CBS Sports' Mike Axisa predicted that Bellinger would indeed exercise that opt-out, forcing the Yankees to outbid the other 29 teams if they want him back.
"(Bellinger has) fit in so well with the Yankees that I would expect them to pursue a reunion, but an extension that makes the opt out moot would surprise me," wrote Axisa. "Bellinger still is a Scott Boras client, after all, and Boras typically takes his clients out into free agency. To keep him, the Yankees would likely have to win a free-agent bidding war."
Next year, Bellinger will still be only 30 for the first half of the season. He's been in our lives as baseball fans for a long time, having won Rookie of the Year back in 2017, but he's still got a lot of game left to play, and most importantly, he's aging well even after a rough couple of years.
The Yankees saw one star outfielder leave last winter in Juan Soto. Bellinger, while he doesn't have Soto's pure hitting genius, would be nearly as tough a loss to stomach.
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