Cody Bellinger's next move could shake up the Yankees’ offseason plans.
Yankees’ Cody Bellinger gets major $25 million contract prediction before opt-out decision originally appeared on The Sporting News
Cody Bellinger has completely revived his career over the past couple of seasons — but his next big contract decision is looming.
After battling injuries and setbacks that tanked his production, Bellinger became less of a hot commodity once his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers ended in 2022. He signed with the Chicago Cubs on a three-year, $80 million deal the following year, but in December, the Cubs shipped him to the New York Yankees, adding $5 million to offset his contract, per MLB.com.
He'll make $27.5 million this season and set to make $25 million next year.
Since arriving in New York, Bellinger has thrived. He’s slashing .269/.323/.485/.808 with 21 home runs and 68 RBIs this season, building on a three-year stretch that has seen him nearly recapture his Rookie of the Year and MVP form. Over the last two full seasons, he’s posted a .286/.340/.475/.815 line.
When Bellinger signed with Chicago, his contract included player opt-outs for the final two years. When asked last month about his future, he told reporters, including the New York Daily News, that he’s not looking that far ahead.
“The true answer is it’s just so far ahead,” Bellinger said. “I’m thinking about today, obviously tomorrow, the All-Star break, and that’s really it. It’s very cliché, but I really focus on the day-to-day, and I control what I can control that day. That’s all I think about.”
Still, CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa believes an opt-out is inevitable.
“Bellinger opt outs. He’s fit in so well with the Yankees that I would expect them to pursue a reunion, but an extension that makes the opt out moot would surprise me. Bellinger still is a Scott Boras client, after all, and Boras typically takes his clients out into free agency. To keep him, the Yankees would likely have to win a free-agent bidding war.”
Bellinger will turn 30 next season, and with Scott Boras steering the negotiations, he’ll likely be looking for one final mega-deal before the twilight years of his career. Whether that comes in pinstripes or elsewhere will depend on how far the Yankees are willing to go to keep him.
Category: Baseball
