Cody Bellinger rumors: Latest on Yankees’ pitch to ‘stay together’ with slugger

As the Cody Bellinger standoff continues, the Yankees are making some concessions to try and keep the slugger in the Bronx.

Bellinger is seeking a seven-year deal, which is one of the reasons he and the Yankees have been far apart in negotiations. According to NJ Advance Media’s Bob Klapisch, he wants to make an annual salary in the mid-30 million range. The AAV isn’t the issue — the Yankees refuse to go to seven years.

According to The Athletic‘s Brendan Kuty, the Yankees’ latest offer to Bellinger was for five years and between $31 million and $32 million per year.

Now, they’re trying to bridge the gap.

John Heyman of the New York Post reported on Tuesday that the Yankees enhanced their latest offer by adding “an opt-out, nice signing bonus, no deferrals.”

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Heyman noted that there is “effort being made to stay together.”

Over 656 plate appearances this year, Bellinger slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs. His agent, Scott Boras, is looking to land him the long-term deal he was unable to achieve during the 2023-24 season, before his last stint on the free agent market.

The three most expensive deals for position players this offseason — Alex Bregman ($175 million with the Cubs), Pete Alonso ($155 million with the Orioles) and Kyle Schwarber ($150 million with the Phillies) — were all for five years.

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