NEW YORK — The winter chill in the Bronx feels a lot colder this week. Not because of the weather, but because the New York Yankees watched two of the biggest names in free agency slip away to rival clubs in a matter of hours.
Thursday night brought the first punch. Kyle Tucker, the All-Star outfielder many expected to land in New York, signed a four-year, $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Then Friday delivered the knockout blow. Former Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette agreed to a three-year, $126 million contract with the crosstown rival Mets.
The dominoes fell fast. They fell hard. And they left the Yankees scrambling to salvage what has become an increasingly frustrating offseason.
Yankees front office under fire from fan base
Yankees fans wasted no time venting their frustrations on social media. The target of their anger remains owner Hal Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman.
“Another miss by Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman,” one fan wrote. “Bo to the Mets, Tucker to Dodgers. Hal should step down.”
Another supporter called it the worst offseason in the “pathetic Hal Steinbrenner era.” Some called for Steinbrenner to sell the team outright.
The organization has added Ryan Weathers, Amed Rosario, Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn this winter. None of those names carry the star power fans expected from baseball’s most storied franchise.
Bellinger becomes last hope standing
With Tucker and Bichette off the board, all eyes now turn to Cody Bellinger. The former MVP delivered a stellar campaign in pinstripes last season. He hit .272 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs across 152 games. That marked his best production since winning the 2019 NL MVP with the Dodgers.
MLB insider Mark Feinsand put it plainly after the Bichette signing.
“With Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette off the market, Cody Bellinger is now the top hitter remaining on the free-agent market,” Feinsand wrote. “The Yankees and Blue Jays figure to be his top suitors, though the Mets, who remain in need of OF help, still can’t be ruled out despite signing Bichette.”
The Mets joining the Bellinger sweepstakes creates a nightmare scenario for the Bronx Bombers. New York already lost Juan Soto to their Queens rivals last winter. Losing Bellinger to the same club would sting even worse.
Contract talks stall over length of deal
Negotiations between the Yankees and Bellinger have dragged on for months. The two sides remain far apart on contract length. New York has offered a five-year deal worth between $155 million and $160 million. The 30-year-old outfielder and his agent Scott Boras want seven years.
NY Daily News reporter Bill Madden reported the Yankees are holding firm on their position.
“Hearing Yankees unfazed by the Dodgers’ Tucker contract re: Bellinger and are not budging on their reported 5 year/$155-160 offer for him,” Madden wrote. “According to one source: ‘They will not engage in a bidding war for him. They’re at where they’re at and that’s not changing.'”
The Yankees recently sweetened their proposal by adding two opt-out clauses and a signing bonus. That has not been enough to close the gap.
Aaron Judge needs protection in lineup
The stakes could not be higher. Bellinger provided the lineup protection Aaron Judge desperately needed last season. His low strikeout rate stood out in a lineup full of free swingers. His 13.7% strikeout rate ranked as the best among all Yankees regulars in 2025.
Without Bellinger, the Yankees face a grim reality. One fan predicted what might come next: “Hal gonna get outbid. Get ready for a Dominguez/Hays platoon in LF and watch Judge break the single season intentional walk record.”
General manager Brian Cashman has praised Bellinger throughout the offseason. He called the veteran a “great fit” for his club but acknowledged the obvious.
“He’d be a great fit for anybody,” Cashman said.
Rivals circle as clock ticks toward spring
The Blue Jays and Giants have also shown interest in Bellinger. Toronto needs to replace Bichette’s bat after watching him leave for Queens. San Francisco offers a fresh start on the West Coast.
Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer recently ranked the Yankees as having the worst offseason in baseball. His criticism cut deep.
“(The Yankees) seem to be treating their offseason shopping as an optional exercise,” Rymer wrote. “Even bringing back Cody Bellinger, which should be a lay-up, is proving difficult. These are the Yankees we’re talking about. No move is supposed to be too big, so no fan should be forgiving of how they’ve made only small moves so far.”
Spring training opens in less than a month. The Yankees need answers. Whether those answers come through a Bellinger reunion or another scramble remains to be seen.
For now, the most famous franchise in baseball sits at a crossroads. The aggressive spending that once defined Yankee winters feels like ancient history. And fans are left wondering when their team will start acting like the Yankees again.
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