The New York Yankees have had a quiet offseason, but they have continued to be linked to bringing back Cody Bellinger.
Bellinger had a solid season with the Yankees, which boosted his market as he should be able to get a lucrative deal this offseason. Although New York’s front office has said it wants to bring him back, no deal has been made.
Now, MLB analyst James Schiano of The Windup predicts Bellinger will leave the Yankees for the Arizona Diamondbacks in a surprising long-term deal.
“It seems the Yankees haven’t been aggressive in their pursuit, and they are sitting and waiting back,” Schiano said. “If teams start to sit back, I could see Bellinger after a turbulent few years, where he was non-tendered by a team he won the MVP with. He had to sign a prove-it-deal with the Cubs, and they then sold him to the Yankees. So, I could see a guy like Cody Bellinger wanting some security. And, possibly wanting to go home. Arizona Diamondbacks for Cody Bellinger.
“They have like no outfielders on this team outside of Corbin Carroll. Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s knee is bad; he won’t be back until midseason. The fact that we have the rumors leaking out a little bit about Bregman to the Diamondbacks proves the owner wants to spend some money. Bellinger is a good fit there. They also don’t have a first baseman, so he could mix in there. It’s a good fit, I could see Bellinger, similar to Corbin Burnes, taking a slight discount to go home.”
Bellinger leaving the Yankees for the Diamondbacks would be a surprise. But Schiano makes a good point that the fit is there for him to go home.
Yankees Want to Bring Bellinger Back
New York has had a quiet offseason, as it appears their big move could be bringing Bellinger back.
At the Winter Meetings, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman made it clear that the team would like Bellinger back.
“Cody Bellinger would be a great fit for us,” Cashman said at the Winter Meetings. “I think he’d be a great fit for anybody. I think he’s a very talented player that can play multiple positions at a high level, and hits lefties, hits righties. He’s a contact guy, and I think our environment was a great one for him.”
Bellinger is a middle-of-the-order bat for the Yankees and helps protect Aaron Judge. Meanwhile, he fits in well defensively at left field and even first base.
“What Cody brought to us last year, in so many ways … who he was in the room, his performance in between the lines on both sides of the ball, his athleticism, his versatility, who wouldn’t want a player like that?” Boone said.
Bellinger hit .272 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs last season with the Yankees.
Bellinger Looking for Long-Term Deal
After Bellinger has been on three teams in the last four years, it appears the outfielder is looking for a long-term deal.
Bellinger is one of the top free-agent bats available and will be in line for a lucrative long-term deal. MLB insider Barry M. Bloom of Forbes reported that Bellinger is looking for a contract that exceeds $400 million. Bloom adds that Bellinger’s hope is to land an eight-year deal, which would equal $50 million per season.
However, Bellinger’s agent, Scott Boras, told Bloom that it was inaccurate.
“Scott Boras said my report about Bellinger asking for $400m was “nonsense” and asked me to retract it,” Bloom wrote on X. “In immense respect to him and our decades-long relationship and despite my very credible source, consider it retracted. He didn’t give me a replacement figure.”
As for what figure Bellinger is looking for is uncertain. But the Yankees slugger is no doubt looking for a long-term deal.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Cody Bellinger Predicted to Leave Yankees for Long-Term Deal With NL Team appeared first on Heavy Sports.