Cody Bellinger is generating tons of traction on the free agent market according to Jon Heyman, and the Yankees are among teams interested.
It’s not surprising that they want to bring him back following a strong season in the Bronx, with Heyman reporting that the team wants him back badly.
He also noted that there’s a big gap in years between the Yankees and Cody Bellinger, raising the question of whether the team will close that gap or if other teams will step in and meet his demands.
Other reports have suggested more periphery interest from teams such as the Mets, Dodgers, and Phillies, but that could change in a heartbeat as the Winter Meetings kick off next week.
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Cody Bellinger’s Demands Have Yet to Be Met, Yankees Pursuring Aggressively
The first year that Cody Bellinger spent in the Bronx was a successful one for him, hitting 29 home runs with a 125 OPS+ as he was the team’s second-best position player in terms of WAR.
His elite defense in left field and excellent swing for Yankee Stadium make him a natural fit for the Yankees, but whether the team is willing to shed out top-dollar for him or not remains to be seen.
For starter’s, they won’t bid against themselves in these sweepstakes, if Bellinger’s camp demands a number that New York is unwilling to match, they’ll wait for another team to hit that number before increasing their offer.
Furthermore, the team has an alternative left field option on the market who is a better player than Cody Bellinger in Kule Tucker, who could supercharge this offense.
Brian Cashman revealed at the Covenant House SleepOut Event that he contacted Tucker’s agent Casey Close, and these two sides are likely to have some contact throughout the offseason.
Where the fit gets messy is with the contract that he’ll likely demand, with the Yankees probably having to dish out a $300 million contract in order to secure his services.
Cody Bellinger on the otherhand should remain under $200 million, and with the team’s rumored interest in Tatsuya Imai, they could end up signing two Scott Boras clients in the same offseason.
Time will tell how the market views Bellinger, but the Yankees are looking for a reunion according to Jon Heyman and it could be staring contest between these two parties this winter.
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