NEW YORK — When the Yankees locked up Cody Bellinger on a five-year, $162.5 million contract in January, the deal looked like a straightforward win for both sides. Bellinger had just posted one of the best seasons of his career in pinstripes. The Yankees needed his bat back in the lineup. The math made sense.
But the full story of how the deal came together is far more interesting than the numbers on the page. According to a report from Bob Klapisch of NJ.com, Bellinger did not simply follow the money. He followed a teammate. And in the process, he pushed back against one of the most powerful agents in baseball history.
Bellinger’s 2025 season made the Yankees’ decision easy
The Yankees acquired Bellinger from the Cubs in a December 2024 salary dump, and the former MVP wasted no time proving his value. In 152 games during the 2025 season, he hit .272 with a .334 on-base percentage, .480 slugging percentage and a 125 OPS+. He belted 29 home runs, drove in 98 runs and added 25 doubles.
Manager Aaron Boone used Bellinger’s versatility to its fullest, deploying him across all three outfield positions and at first base throughout the year. That flexibility, combined with consistent production at the plate, made him one of the most valuable players on the roster.
“Belli is that true, versatile player that can go be really successful all over the diamond,” Boone said.
With that kind of production, the Yankees were always going to push hard to bring Bellinger back. But what made the negotiation interesting was how badly the slugger wanted to stay.
Bellinger overruled Boras to stay in the Bronx
Scott Boras is not known for steering his clients toward sentimental decisions. Baseball’s most prominent agent has built his reputation on extracting the richest possible contracts, regardless of destination. His job is to maximize dollars, not foster friendships.
But Bellinger had other priorities.
According to Klapisch’s report, Bellinger’s deep respect for Aaron Judge shaped his free agency in a way that created tension with Boras. The insider account painted a clear picture: the outfielder wanted to be Judge’s teammate, and he was willing to make that preference known even if it complicated the agent’s usual playbook.
“Bellinger’s respect for Judge played a significant role during free agency. Despite having chosen Scott Boras, baseball’s most ruthless agent, to represent him,
The slugger made it clear he wanted to be Judge’s teammate,” Klapisch reported. “That posed a problem for Boras, who steers his clients to the biggest contracts, not to their best friends. But Bellinger expressed his preference to end his career wearing the same uniform as Judge.”
For a player represented by Boras, choosing a destination based on a relationship with another player is unusual. It speaks to the kind of impact Judge has inside the Yankees clubhouse, not just with his bat but with his leadership as the team’s captain.
Hitting behind Judge gave Bellinger a front-row education
Beyond the personal connection, Bellinger has been open about how much he learned from batting behind Aaron Judge in the Yankees lineup last season. Getting that close look at one of baseball’s most feared hitters was not something he was eager to give up.
“I just had a front-row seat to what he does, and you can learn a lot from him, you can learn a lot from his swing, how he prepares,” Bellinger told YES Network’s Meredith Marakovits. He also described the strategic element, noting that he would talk with Boone late in games about how opposing pitchers approached Judge and what that meant for the at-bat that followed.
"He's everything that this organization is. He really carries everything to the highest degree. You just follow his lead and you understand the greatness that's in front of you."
That kind of daily interaction with Judge clearly left a mark. And Bellinger made no effort to hide where he wanted to play.
“This is where I wanted to be, being a Yankee was my priority,” the Yankees outfielder told Klapisch. “That was expressed more than once. I couldn’t be happier where I am right now. Aaron is an amazing teammate.”
Bellinger’s commitment goes beyond this contract
MLB
The five-year deal includes opt-outs after the 2027 and 2028 seasons, a conditional player option in 2030, a $20 million signing bonus and a full no-trade clause. If Bellinger plays out the entire contract, he would be 35 when it expires.
But Bellinger has hinted that his ambitions stretch beyond this particular agreement. He told Klapisch that he envisions finishing his career alongside Judge, who is locked in through a nine-year, $360 million deal and is virtually certain to remain a Yankee for life.
Bellinger also signaled his commitment to the organization by declining to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic this year. He said he wanted to use spring training to focus entirely on preparing for the Yankees’ 2026 campaign.
“I owe it to the Steinbrenner family and the Yankee organization to go and give my best foot forward and try and win a championship,” Bellinger said.
The Yankees culture played a role too
It was not only Judge who pulled Bellinger back to the Bronx. The 30-year-old spoke repeatedly about the winning culture inside the Yankees clubhouse and how quickly he felt at home after arriving from Chicago.
“When you get into a locker room where it’s about winning and doing it for each other, you don’t really want to leave it,” Bellinger told MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. “Grass ain’t always greener on the other side.”
Bellinger’s return does create some roster questions. Prospects Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones were expected to compete for outfield playing time this spring. Boone acknowledged the depth but framed it as a strength rather than a problem.
For the Yankees, bringing back a player who genuinely wants to be in the Bronx is a luxury. Bellinger had options. He had an agent pushing for the biggest possible payday. And he chose to come back anyway, largely because of one teammate.
That says something about Judge’s influence. And it says something about the kind of team the Yankees are building heading into 2026.
