As soon as outfielder Cody Bellinger decided to exercise his opt-out in early November and hit free agency again this offseason, it seemed like he and the Yankees would find their way back to each other. Both sides were extremely complimentary about each other and New York in particular was active in talking to the media about their desire to retain him, even when seemingly superior outfield options like Kyle Tucker were also available on the market. Because Bellinger’s agent is Scott Boras, however,
negotiations took a very long time as Boras tried to find the best possible deal for his player, and there were talks of him negotiating with the Mets and Blue Jays as well.
Two and a half months later, the sides have finally come together, not long after Tucker signed with the Dodgers and the Mets picked up Luis Robert Jr. via trade. The official terms are below, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan, who broke the signing. It’s a five-year contract with some particular details:
If he wants, Bellinger, will be able to test the market again after the 2027 and 2027 campaigns. There are no deferrals. Boras and Bellinger had been angling for six or seven years, but the Yankees stuck to their guns on the five-year offer with opt-outs.
Is this a lot of money for someone who wasn’t even an All-Star in 2025? Sure, but the Yankees bleed money, they absolutely needed to keep Bellinger in this offense given the alternatives, and they were able to avoid a longer-term commitment that has burned them in the past with similar players like DJ LeMahieu. Bellinger was quite productive in 2025 regardless of his specific honors (though he did make the All-MLB Second Team), hitting .272/.334/.480 with 29 homers—his most since his MVP year in 2019—and a 125 wRC+. Bellinger’s lefty swing was well-suited for Yankee Stadium, he covered the tricky left field with aplomb, he can man first as well in a pinch, and he’ll be able to keep calling the place where his father once played home for likely the rest of the decade.
We’ll have more to come soon at Pinstripe Alley. In the meantime, welcome back Cody!
