Jon Heyman of the New York Post is reporting that the New York Yankees have become open to adding another opt-out to Cody Bellinger’s current proposed deal.
Both the Yankees and Cody Bellinger have remained heavily engaged in discussions to try and hammer out a contract, and with the conclusion of the Kyle Tucker saga other teams could apply pressure on the Bronx Bombers.
The growing sentiment around local Mets’ reporters is that the club will likely not outbid their crosstown rivals to lure him to Queens, but whether the Blue Jays would scorn their rivals or not remains to be seen.
Right now the Yankees are at five-years at $155 million with Scott Boras and Cody Bellinger seeking seven years as the takedown price; the stalemate for compromise continues.
Why the Yankees Could Add a Second Opt-Out to a Cody Bellinger Contract
Despite some murmurs that the Yankees were preparing their pivot, Cody Bellinger remains the team’s top target and they’re still trying to work out a deal.
One of the ways they’re attempting to do this is by adding more player opt-outs, which could affect the overall contract in a way that greatly benefits the player.
Bellinger taking multiple opt-outs would give him a chance to hit the market again with an opportunity to beat the remaining years left on the deal, but there’s no detailed explaination of the conditions or layout.
There’s a rather creative structure that the Yankees could use mirroring the one they did for Gerrit Cole in 2019, using a player opt-out to offer a club option that can void that opt-out.
It could also be just a straight-up opt-out, with the player having full liberty to void the remaining years of the deal and test free agency again if he believes he can beat that number.
Whether the Yankees and Cody Bellinger get a deal done remains to be seen but the two sides remain engaged in talks to form a reunion that both sides seemingly want.
Heyman noted that the team is interested in Nico Hoerner and Luis Robert in a potential pivot plan, but reports would indicate that Hoerner specifically is unlikely to be dealt without a massive haul.
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