Cody Bellinger officially opted out of his contract with the Yankees on Monday, making him a free agent, a source confirmed to the Daily News.
It’s been expected that Bellinger would decline his $25 million player option in pursuit of a long-term deal this winter, as he enjoyed a stellar season with the Yankees after being acquired from the Cubs as a salary dump last December. Traded for Cody Poteet – the Yankees also received $5 million from Chicago – Bellinger went on to slash .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs, 98 RBI, 13 stolen bases and a 125 wRC+ before hitting .214 with a homer and four RBI over seven postseason games.
Bellinger, part of the Yankees’ post-Juan Soto pivot last winter, primarily hit third behind Aaron Judge, played all three outfield positions and briefly spent time at first base.
While the 30-year-old can now test the open market, he said he would “absolutely” be interested in remaining a Yankee after the team lost the ALDS.
“I had an unbelievable time putting on this uniform,” Bellinger added. “Yankee Stadium, the fans, the organization, the culture that these guys have created in this locker room, it really is special. It’s such a fun group. It was a fun group to be a part of.”
Bellinger’s father, Clay, played for the Yankees from 1999-2001, and general manager Brian Cashman has said that the player’s agent, Scott Boras, pushed for the 2019 MVP to become a Bomber prior to the 2025 season.
Bellinger also fit in well with the Yankees’ clubhouse and made fans out of the team’s shot-callers, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the two sides reach a long-term deal this winter.
“Certainly, we’d love to have him with our team moving forward, but we haven’t had any of those discussions,” Cashman said on Oct. 16.
Re-signing Bellinger would add some clarity to the Yankees’ outfield, as Trent Grisham is also a free agent after a career year that featured unprecedented offensive output. With Grisham a candidate for a qualifying offer, Aaron Judge is the Yankees’ only solidified starter in the outfield, though youngsters Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones are part of the equation.
While not the best in center field, Bellinger would be a cheaper and more versatile alternative to corner outfielder Kyle Tucker, the top free agent on the market. The former Astro garnered trade interest from the Yankees last offseason but was dealt to the Cubs days before they dumped Bellinger.
The Yankees should seriously pursue Tucker, the better overall player, but the expectation is that they will make Bellinger a priority instead.
Chicago signed Bellinger to a three-year, $80 million deal – with opt-outs after the first and second seasons – prior to the 2024 campaign. He opted into the second year of the deal for $27.5 million before being traded to the Yankees.
