The New York Yankees are standing firm on what they are willing to offer to keep Cody Bellinger in the Bronx. Nonetheless, the idea of pivoting to other options to replace the free agent hitter comes with a warning from MLB Network’s Harold Reynolds.
Per StatMuse, Bellinger had a .272 batting average with 160 hits, 29 home runs, 98 RBIs, and 89 runs scored in 152 games last season. As a result, Reynolds is concerned about how New York can replace this production for a player who fits well playing in Yankee Stadium.
On Jan. 19, Reynolds expressed concern that New York could move on from Bellinger, as the two sides don’t seem willing to budge on their respective positions.
“I don’t like to tell people how to spend their money, but I think he’s worth the money,” Reynolds said on MLB Network. “For that club and all the things that he does and he brings, I know you don’t get in a bidding war and get stupid with money, but I wouldn’t shut it down… I don’t know what to look at or what to take. But I am telling you right now, the Yankees will not be the same team without this guy.
“He couldn’t have had it go any better with Bregman going to Chicago and the doors that opened up a little bit with Bichette signing as well. So now he’s got the Yankees, the Mets, the Blue Jays all knocking on his door. I may be leaving out one other team, but those three teams right there all could use him because he could impact that club.”
Yankees Could Be Ready to Move on From Cody Bellinger
Reynolds’ concern over the Yankees’ potential decision regarding Bellinger probably stems from a report by The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty, who covers the Yankees and provided new information on the free-agent outfielder.
“As the Yankees wait for Bellinger, they have turned their attention to the trade market, so they’re ready to move on from him if they find a deal to their liking, or are prepared to pivot should he sign elsewhere,” Kuty wrote in his article that was published on Jan. 18.
It will be interesting to see if another team, like the New York Mets or Toronto Blue Jays, swoops in and lands the player, and how the Yankees could replace the player should this happen.
Yankees’ Contract Stance With Cody Bellinger
Moreover, Kuty also revealed the latest on the contract, what the Yankees are willing to offer Bellinger, as both sides play hardball.
“The Athletic has since learned, via a league source who has been briefed on the ongoing talks, that the Yankees would be willing to include opt-outs after Year 2 and Year 3 of the five-year deal,” Kuty wrote.
“That’s in addition to a signing bonus, which the New York Post’s Jon Heyman first reported. At the time of the Yankees’ latest offer, Bellinger’s camp had been pushing for a deal with seven years and a higher average annual value (than $31 million to $32 million), and it appears they haven’t moved off the request.”
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