The New York Yankees were flirting with a truly disastrous offseason before finally ending a stalemate with Cody Bellinger. The outfielder was a fantastic addition to their offense in 2025. He was the main piece of the push to replace Juan Soto, and while he alone didn’t do that, he was quite good.
However, as key free agents signed elsewhere, the Yankees’ options dwindled, and the focus turned to Bellinger as the top remaining free agent. The two sides had been at an impasse, and there was real concern that they’d miss out on their former outfielder.
Ultimately, the two sides came together on a deal. It was reported last night that the Yankees, New York Mets, and two other teams were involved. The Mets traded for Luis Robert Jr., thereby essentially ending their pursuit, and the Yankees signed him the next day.
New York Yankees land Cody Bellinger on long-term deal
The New York Yankees and Cody Bellinger put their differences aside and agreed to a five-year deal. Bellinger gets $162.5 million after opting out of the $25 million year he had remaining after the trade from the Chicago Cubs.
Per Jeff Passan, the contract includes opt-outs after the second and third seasons, a $20 million signing bonus, and a full no-trade clause. It is highly unlikely that Bellinger plays anywhere else until the 2031 season, thanks to his new deal.
Bellinger will likely play left field every day, but he will also spell Trent Grisham, who signed the qualifying offer, in center field. Grisham hits free agency again after this season, so Bellinger could be the center fielder after that.
This pushes Jasson Dominguez back to the bench. Yankees officials, while they were unsure of Bellinger’s status, said they were happy with the young outfielder being the everyday player, but he has had major defensive issues and struggled with hitting right-handed pitching during his brief MLB tenure.
Bellinger is much more reliable, consistent, and safe. Dominguez has all the upside in the world, but the Yankees can’t really afford to wait and let him realize it. They need to win now. They needed Bellinger.
Why this is so important
The Yankees needed Cody Bellinger badly. He was a great defender and a really solid bat in their lineup. Losing him means more pressure is on other hitters, and Aaron Judge will get fewer pitches to hit. He’s not as good as Juan Soto at protecting Judge, but Bellinger was pretty valuable in that regard.
Plus, it shows that the Yankees still kind of have it. They mostly stayed out of the pursuits of top free agents like Dylan Cease, Muneteka Murakami, Michael King, Kyle Tucker, and Edwin Diaz. Should they have? Probably not, but they opted not to even wade into those discussions.
Instead, they put the focus on Bellinger, and while other teams wanted him and he quickly became the top free agent available, the Yankees were able to snag him. They got who they wanted, which is generally a staple of the MLB offseason. The Juan Soto pursuit was a rare loss, but the Yankees are back to winning the pursuits they engage in.
Plus, as mentioned, it prevents Dominguez from becoming an everyday hitter. He was solid in spurts, but he’s more suited as a DH. Unfortunately, for now the Yankees have Giancarlo Stanton locking that spot down, so Dominguez was going to have to play the field, which is always an adventure.
Now, the Yankees retain a useful bat, a versatile and valuable glove, and a good locker room presence. All in all, while it is going to cost them a decent amount, this is a big win for a Yankees team that strangely needed one.
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