It is no secret that the New York Yankees are interested in signing Cody Bellinger, who becomes a free agent after this season. Amidst a remarkable comeback season with the Chicago Cubs, he has drawn attention from multiple teams and is poised to secure a substantial, multi-year contract. The Yankees are going to face tough competition to get hold of him.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, and San Diego Padres are expected to be the most active contenders, vying with the Cubs for Cody Bellinger in the upcoming offseason. As per his assessment, it’s expected that the player will seek a contract exceeding the $200 million mark.
Such a substantial contract would signify a remarkable turnaround for Cody Bellinger. His career took a sharp downturn following his 2019 NL MVP win with the Los Angeles Dodgers. During his last three seasons with the Dodgers from 2020 to ’22, Cody Bellinger struggled, batting .203/.272/.376 with 41 home runs in 1,032 at-bats across 295 games. In 2020, he dealt with shoulder injuries that were exacerbated during his celebratory actions after hitting a decisive home run in Game 7 of the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves.
While the Cubs might be interested in picking up the mutual option, it’s highly unlikely that Cody Bellinger chooses to opt in. He’s been performing exceptionally well, boasting a .319/.365/.546 batting line with 22 home runs, 19 stolen bases, and 81 RBIs.
The Yankees are linked to Cody Bellinger
Following Shohei Ohtani, Cody Bellinger is poised to become one of the most coveted free agents. He celebrated his 28th birthday on July 13 and boasts a strong track record of success spanning seven years in MLB.
When the free agency frenzy begins, seasoned MLB analyst John Harper predicts that Cody Bellinger will make a swap from Cubs pinstripes to Yankees pinstripes. In August, the player himself hinted at such a possibility.
Cody Bellinger was initially a prominent trade target for the Yankees before the August 1 deadline. However, the Cubs decided to keep him after going on a winning streak. Now, with intentions to explore free agency, the player is, as Harper suggests, an excellent fit for the Yankees.
According to SNY, the potential signing of Cody Bellinger by the Yankees appeared to be an ideal match. They acknowledged that they had similar expectations when Corey Seager was a free agent two years ago, but that didn’t materialize. However, they pointed out that the Yankees’ current situation seemed more desperate.
Harper mentioned that, apart from Shohei Ohtani, who might be too expensive for Hal Steinbrenner’s liking, Cody Bellinger was viewed as a free agent capable of significantly improving the team’s offense. They also noted that Michael King‘s strong performance towards the end of the season as he transitioned to a starting role allowed the Yankees greater flexibility to prioritize bolstering their offense. Additionally, the writer highlighted Aaron Judge‘s suggestion that the team needed more high-batting average hitters, a criterion that Cody Bellinger met, along with his capacity to provide left-handed power. Bellinger’s role as a center fielder was considered an added advantage for the Yankees.
Bellinger’s agent blames Dodgers
After the culmination of the 2020 season, the Dodgers made a public announcement revealing that Cody Bellinger had undergone surgery to mend his right shoulder, necessitating a 10-week recuperation period.
In light of his performance woes in 2022, the Dodgers made the decision not to tender a contract to Cody Bellinger, even though he had one more year of team control. Subsequently, Bellinger inked a one-year contract with the Cubs valued at $17.5 million, which also includes a mutual option for the 2024 season.
Scott Boras, Cody Bellinger’s agent, recently attributed his client’s struggles during the 2021 and 2022 seasons to the Dodgers, alleging that the team mishandled his recovery. According to Boras, he stated to Nightengale on August 27 that Cody Bellinger’s struggles were primarily due to his injury. Bellinger had undergone surgery, and the Dodgers had requested him to play despite having a 35% strength deficiency in his shoulder. Additionally, the player contracted COVID-19, which hindered him from receiving specialized medical treatment.
Boras pointed out that Cody Bellinger’s drop in performance from a .900 OPS to a .500 OPS could be attributed to the impact of the injury. Consequently, when he entered free agency, he expressed his desire to join teams that were familiar to him and had a good understanding of his situation.
Following a wave of criticism directed at him, including responses from Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman, Scott Boras, Cody Bellinger’s agent, amended his previous comments. Speaking to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, Boras clarified that he no longer believed the Dodgers had engaged in any wrongdoing.
The Cubs and the player have an option of a mutually agreed extension for 2024. But that seems to be unlikely considering the demand for his services.
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