Yankees Could Jump Gun With MLB's Biggest Signing

The New York Yankees have been after Cody Bellinger all offseason, but in light of a recent rumor, the Yankees could choose to sign the top outfielder in free agency instead, rather than risk being left empty-handed.

It's no secret that the Yankees' best options are Bellinger and Tucker, and a recent rumor suggests that Bellinger's agent, Scott Boras, may choose to wait until Tucker has signed before making an official move with Bellinger. This puts the Yankees at a greater risk of landing neither player, and they might benefit from pursuing Tucker at this juncture.

Tucker is expected to be far more expensive than Bellinger, however, with The Athletic projecting Tucker for a 12-year, $460 million contract. A recent proposal from Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter, however, sees the Yankees signing Tucker for a 10-year, $360 million contract,

Oct 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) reacts after hitting a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the seventh inning for game four of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

“A reunion with Cody Bellinger still remains a real possibility, but he’s probably not going to sign until Kyle Tucker makes his decision, and the Yankees are still very much in the running for the top overall player in the 2025-26 free-agent class," Reuter wrote.

"With a silky smooth left-handed swing and consistently high fly-ball rates, Tucker has an offensive profile built for Yankee Stadium, but his contributions stretch well beyond power production as he is a former Gold Glove winner and a perennial 30/30 threat."

Why They Should Keep Chasing Bellinger Anyway

This move wouldn't just blow up the budget for other priorities (like a needed starting pitcher), it would deprive them of the better contact hitter and defender. Bellinger is only slightly older than Tucker, widely cited as sufficient reason to pursue Tucker over Bellinger, but Bellinger is the better fit for the 2026 Yankees.

Oct 5, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game two of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

This is a higher risk move, though, and the Yankees really are stuck between a rock and a hard place (at least to those of us on the outside). If Bellinger ends up with one of the likely contenders for him (the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers are very much in the mix, along with seven other teams cryptically listed by Boras at the Winter Meetings), the Yankees will be high and dry with just their youngest cohort of outfielders to choose from.

With the looming threat of another Juan Soto situation and only Spencer Jones and Jasson Dominguez as backups in left field at the moment, it might behoove the Yankees to bite the bullet and get Tucker if they can. The market is tightening, and they can't afford to lose both stars.

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