The New York Yankees appear to be in a standoff with free agent slugger Cody Bellinger as MLB free agency continues. New York’s offseason plans hinge on whether Bellinger re-signs with the club.
If Bellinger opts to sign with another team, the Yankees will need to quickly pivot to signing another veteran hitter. Despite the lengthy negotiations, the Yankees still appear to be in a good spot when it comes to retaining Bellinger.
CBS Sports’ R.J. Anderson offered predictions for the top remaining MLB free agents. Despite plenty of MLB rumors, the analyst projects that the Yankees will re-sign Bellinger.
“There’s no reason to overthink this one either,” Anderson wrote in a December 30, 2025, story titled, “Predicting landing spots for the top 10 remaining MLB free agents: Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman and more.” “Bellinger’s game is a perfect fit for Yankee Stadium and he’s coming off a great year with New York.
“Past reporting suggests the Yankees view the aforementioned Tucker as a fallback plan, making it all the more likely that Bellinger returns to the Bronx.”
Here’s what you need to know about the latest Yankees rumors.
Yankees Rumors: New York Remains ‘Pretty Confident’ Cody Bellinger Will Re-Sign in MLB Free Agency
Bellinger opted out of the final season of a three-year, $80 million contract. The 2019 NL MVP is one of the top MLB free agents with a projected market value of a six-year, $182 million contract, per Spotrac.
New York Post’s Jon Heyman outlined why the Yankees remain “pretty confident” that the club will re-sign Bellinger. Yet, given how things played out last offseason with Juan Soto, there continues to be a fear that the Yankees could also lose Bellinger until the star actually signs a new contract.
“Kyle Tucker is the No. 1 free agent, but Bellinger’s versatility works better for the New York teams. (His price tag is lower, too.)” Heyman explained in a December 25, story titled, “What Yankees think of chances of losing Cody Bellinger to Mets.”
“The Yankees have made him their priority and seem pretty confident that, unlike superstar Juan Soto, he won’t skip to Queens. Aaron Judge is said to be a big advocate for re-signing Bellinger. The Giants and Bellinger’s old Dodgers team also are interested.”
Yankees GM Brian Cashman: ‘Cody Bellinger Would Be a Great Fit for Us’
While the Yankees have also been floated as a landing spot for top free agents like Chicago Cubs slugger Kyle Tucker, re-signing Bellinger is expected to be less expensive. The Yankees have been outspoken about their desire to re-sign Bellinger, but the 2-time All-Star is also commanding interest from other teams.
“Cody Bellinger would be a great fit for us,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman remarked on the team’s chances to re-sign Bellinger, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. “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.”
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