This is hardly uncharted territory for Scott Boras.
It isn’t even new terrain for Cody Bellinger.
Bellinger’s prolonged free agency marks the latest instance of a Boras client waiting out the market. It’s a strategy that’s yielded a range of results for the agent, who is known for netting top dollar for the stars he represents.
The Yankees hope to sign Bellinger to a five-year contract worth more than $30 million annually, but Boras is believed to be seeking a seven-year commitment for the versatile outfielder.
Bellinger, 30, hit .272 with 29 home runs, 98 RBI and an .813 OPS with the Yankees in 2025.
He is the top free-agent position player remaining after outfielder Kyle Tucker reached a four-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and infielder Bo Bichette agreed to a three-year, $126 million deal with the Mets.
The Mets could turn to Bellinger to fill their left-field void, while the Toronto Blue Jays remain a possibility after missing out on Tucker and Bichette.
The start of spring training is less than a month away, but if the past is any indicator, Boras would be content waiting this out even beyond then.
Here’s a look back at when some of Boras’ other top clients ended their extended offseasons and signed with a team.
PETE ALONSO
Last winter, Alonso waited until Feb. 12 to re-sign with the Mets on a two-year, $54 million contract with an opt out.
Alonso collected $30 million in 2025 — during which he hit 38 home runs with 126 RBI — before opting out this offseason and signing a five-year, $155 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles.
All told, Alonso is set to earn $185 million over six seasons from 2025-30.
ALEX BREGMAN
Bregman navigated a similar saga, which started with the opt-out-heavy three-year, $120 million contract he signed with the Boston Red Sox last Feb. 15.
After earning $40 million in 2025, Bregman opted out and inked a five-year, $175 million contract with the Chicago Cubs this month.
That adds up to $215 million over six years for the third baseman.
CODY BELLINGER
During the 2023-24 offseason, Bellinger was part of the “Boras Four,” which referred to a quartet of big-name Boras clients who remained on the free-agent market until after the start of spring training.
Bellinger was the first of the bunch to sign, but it wasn’t until Feb. 25 that he and the Cubs finalized a three-year, $80 million deal with opt-outs after every season.
He played for the Cubs in 2024, was traded to the Yankees before the 2025 season, and opted out of the final year of his contract this offseason.
Matt Chapman
Another member of the “Boras Four,” Chapman signed a three-year, $54 million contract with the San Francisco Giants on March 2, 2024.
The contract included opt-outs after the first two years, but Chapman never had to exercise one, as he reached a six-year, $151 million extension with the Giants that September.
BLAKE SNELL
Snell was fresh off of his second Cy Young Award when he hit free agency during that same 2023-24 offseason.
But when the market didn’t develop as Snell envisioned, the left-hander signed with the Giants on March 19 for two years, $62 million with an opt-out.
Snell then re-entered free agency before the 2025 season and signed a five-year, $182 million contract with the Dodgers.
In the end, Snell’s two contracts totaled $212 million over six years.
JORDAN MONTGOMERY
The last of the “Boras Four” to sign was Mongomery, who sought to parlay his 2023 playoff heroics for the Texas Rangers into a long-term deal.
Instead, Montgomery settled for a one-year, $25 million contract with a player option with the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 26, 2024 — two days before Opening Day.
Montgomery fired Boras less than a month later.
The left-hander struggled to a 6.23 ERA over 25 appearances in 2024, then picked up his $22.5 million option for 2025.
But after making only two spring-training appearances, Montgomery underwent Tommy John surgery and did not pitch during the 2025 regular season.
He is currently unsigned.
BRYCE HARPER
The 2018-19 offseason played out similarly slowly for several Boras clients.
Those included Harper, whose 13-year, $330 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies was not announced until March 2, 2019.
Despite the wait, Boras managed to secure a long-term payday for the All-Star slugger.
DALLAS KEUCHEL
The same cannot be said for Keuchel, who finally signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Atlanta Braves on June 8, 2019 — more than two months after the start of the season.
Keuchel sought a long-term contract after posting a 3.74 ERA over 204.2 innings in 2018, but instead he endured an eight-month free agency before finally settling for a one-year pact.
At the onset of his free agency, the left-handed Keuchel declined a $17.9 million qualifying offer from the Houston Astros, meaning any that signed him that winter would have to surrender draft compensation.
But because Atlanta added Keuchel after the draft, his signing did not require draft compensation.
CRAIG KIMBREL
It was the same situation for Kimbrel, who waited until June 5, 2019, to reach a contract with the Cubs after declining the Red Sox’s qualifying offer.
Kimbrel, at least, landed a three-year deal worth $43 million.
J.D. MARTINEZ
And then there was the 2017-18 offseason, when Martinez lingered on the open market until Feb. 25, 2018.
Martinez still earned a nice payday of five years, $110 million with the Red Sox.
The contract included three opt outs, but the slugger did not exercise any of them.
JAKE ARRIETA
About two weeks after Martinez came off the board, Arrieta reached a three-year, $75 million contract with the Phillies on March 11, 2018.
The contract was front-loaded, paying Arrieta $30 million in year one, and included an opt-out before the final season.
Arrieta did not exercise the opt-out.
