Mets predicted to sign Yankees star to five-year, $135 million deal

Will the New York Mets sign another star from the New York Yankees this winter?

Jul 13, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The New York Mets have been a bit quiet lately in free agency, but there are still plenty of big names to pursue that can turn this offseason around. Recently, they were predicted to land one of the top prizes.

So far, it has been a disappointing winter for the Mets. Following the collapse in the second half of the season, this was a team that figured to be aggressive in making improvements. That hasn’t been the case as of yet, with New York mostly shaking things up by moving on from long-time players.

However, even though it is fair to say the winter has been a failure for the team so far, there is still plenty of time for them to turn things around and plenty of good players for them to pursue. With needs in the outfield and the starting rotation, those two spots will likely be the top priority for them. 

Recent buzz has indicated that star outfielder Kyle Tucker would be a logical landing spot for the team. On the other hand, the contract he's looking for may not be in the Mets' ideal price range.

Read More: Kyle Tucker market shifts as insider points to Mets advantage

In addition to Tucker, Cody Bellinger is still available on the market and has been linked to the Mets throughout the winter. This has promoted Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report to recently predict the Mets to sign the former Yankees outfielder to a five-year, $135 million deal.

Bellinger Continues to Make Sense for New York

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Although the talented slugger has many potential suitors, several recent reports indicate that Bellinger wants to stay in New York; the question is which of the two teams he'd choose. As mentioned earlier, the Mets have been linked to him for much of the winter, while he remains the Yankees' top offseason priority.

In terms of being a potential fit for the Mets, Bellinger would be an appealing addition. Last season, he slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI. The former National League MVP is also a great defender, which is a goal that the franchise has emphasized improvement on this winter.

Furthermore, with the ability to play multiple positions in the outfield, Bellinger can also play first base. Due to the departure of Pete Alonso, that could be an area of need, depending on how Jorge Polanco performs defensively at the position.

Cody Bellinger's GRAND SLAM breaks it open! #RivalryWeekend pic.twitter.com/S0T0IOk2Yi

— MLB (@MLB) May 19, 2025

In terms of the contract number, a five-year, $135 million deal feels fair for both sides. It might be a little low with an average of $27 million per year, but it would undoubtedly be in the ballpark of what he would be looking for.

With the Yankees being even quieter than the Mets in terms of additions this winter, losing Bellinger would be a significant blow to their offseason and mark the second straight year that the Mets would have taken a star player from them in free agency.

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