Yankees Interest in Superstar Infielder Intensifying

Cody Bellinger and the New York Yankees have still not reached a resolution. The team extended its second offer to its now former versatile slugger, who provided a much-needed facelift to a lineup that missed out on superstar Juan Soto. With a gap in negotiations, the Yankees might turn their attention to longtime AL East Rival Bo Bichette.

According to the New York Post's Jon Heyman, the Yankees are taking a more serious look at Bichette. If they are at an impasse with Bellinger, it is Bichette who can fill the hole that Bellinger leaves.

"The Yankees and No. 1 target Cody Bellinger have exchanged multiple proposals but haven't closed the gap quite enough to shut off other possibilities — either for Bellinger or the Yankees, who are now looking more seriously at superstar infielder Bo Bichette," Heyman writes for the New York Post.

"Bellinger is receiving interest from his old Cubs and Dodgers teams, among others, while the Yankees consider different major lineup enhancements, notably Bichette, who they contacted early in winter but who wasn't mentioned publicly until last week in this space."

Jun 30, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (11) fields the ball during batting practice before a game against the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The Better Option?

It is funny to think that a team in the Cubs, who dumped Bellinger off on the Yankees for Cody Poteet, could end up with their old outfielder, but if that does happen, Bichette is more than capable of filling his hole for the Yanks. For one, he is a righty, and the Yankees are in desperate need of a right-handed bat at the moment.

Bichette is also a more dependable bat year to year. It is true that in 2024, his 70 wRC+ was concerning, but Bichette more than turned it around a year later. In 2025, he posted a wRC+ of 134.

Bellinger, on the other hand, has not had back-to-back seasons with a 120 wRC+ since 2018 and 2019. He was not even the same player now that he was back then, having sold out on exit velo and barrel rates for contact.

Whether that is by design, or Bellinger physically cannot clobber baseballs at the rate he once did, in the modern day of baseball, where teams are more data driven, handing a big multi-year deal to a player at or well below the 50th percentile in xw0BA, xBA, xSLG, Average Exit Velocity, Barrel Rate and Hard-Hit Rates, feels a bit stone age.

Bichette, on the other hand, was above average in exit velocity and hard hit rates. He was also in the 99th percentile in expected batting average.

What to do With Jazz?

If the Yankees do sign Bichette, the big issue then becomes what they should do with Jazz Chisholm Jr. Bichette's days at short are behind him. Trading Chisholm to make room for Bichette is still something the Yankees should avoid. With Trent Grisham's centerfield metrics falling off last season, it may not be the worst thing to stick the athletic Chisholm out there.

While Chisholm posted a -13 DRS in center in 2023 and 2024, he graded out positively by OAA's standards. He had a 5 OAA in center when the Marlins had him patrolling the outfield.

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