Cody Bellinger’s free-agency saga was already the biggest storyline in New York. Now, after MLB.com highlighted how his versatility is driving up his price, Jon Heyman’s latest reporting for the New York Post Sports+ has poured gasoline on an already blazing rivalry. According to Heyman, the Mets are not only in the Bellinger sweepstakes—they’re preparing to make a hard push.
And for the New York Yankees, who have made Bellinger their No. 1 offseason priority, this is a problem.
Mets Signal Aggressive Intent—And Bellinger Fits What They Want
Heyman reports that Mets president David Stearns made it clear the club has the resources and willingness to do three major things at once: re-sign Pete Alonso, bring back Edwin Díaz, and add a “big outfielder.” That last part is the key—because in Heyman’s words, Bellinger now looks like a “better Mets fit” after the team traded Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers.
Losing Nimmo opened a massive hole in center field and in the lineup. Bellinger, who just put up a .813 OPS with New York while playing all three outfield spots and first base, fits almost too perfectly. If the Mets keep Alonso, Bellinger’s ability to slide between first base and center field gives Stearns a level of lineup flexibility the Mets haven’t had in years.
The Mets also feel energized after dumping Nimmo’s contract and repositioning themselves following an 83-win disaster of a season. As Heyman put it, trading Nimmo was only the “first hint” the Mets plan to attack the offseason aggressively. Adding Bellinger would be the kind of statement Steve Cohen has been waiting to make—a direct hit on the Yankees’ top target.
Yankees Still Lead—but Mets Pressure Is Real
Heyman makes it crystal clear: the Yankees still view Bellinger as their preferred choice, even while checking in on Kyle Tucker as a fallback. They love his positional versatility, his left-handed swing in Yankee Stadium, and his overall fit inside the clubhouse. After Grisham accepted the $22.025 million qualifying offer, the Yankees no longer need a center fielder—but they do need an impactful left-handed bat who can move around the diamond.
That’s why Bellinger remains the priority.
But Heyman’s reporting makes two things obvious. First, the Mets aren’t lurking—they’re charging. Second, the Yankees have to treat the Mets as a serious threat, not a nuisance.
The Yankees already know Bellinger will be expensive. MLB.com compared his market to Kris Bryant’s seven-year, $182 million deal and George Springer’s six-year, $150 million deal. His defensive versatility, improved power, and strong season against left-handers have created a bidding environment where the Yankees may already be preparing to overpay.
The Mets crashing the party only inflates that number.
From Bellinger’s point of view, the situation is ideal. The Yankees want him back. The Mets need a centerpiece outfielder. The Phillies and both Los Angeles clubs are still hovering. And Bellinger is only 30, with his strongest platform season since 2019.
The Mets-Yankees dynamic adds even more leverage.
If the Mets push as hard as Heyman suggests—and ownership is absolutely capable of pushing—they might force the Yankees to either exceed their planned budget or lose the left-handed bat they’ve been building their winter around.
Bellinger’s versatility made him expensive. MLB.com showed that. But Heyman’s reporting shows the truth emerging behind the scenes: the Mets are ready to turn his market into a full New York arms race.
And in this city, nobody wants to lose to the other side.
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