Yankees Can No Longer Afford to Lose Cody Bellinger

The New York Yankees must do everything in their power to resign Cody Bellinger.

Oct 2, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankee outfielders Cody Bellinger (35), Trent Grisham (12) and Aaron Judge (99) react following game three of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

After learning the fate of Kyle Tucker, it's imperative the New York Yankees are able to bring back Cody Bellinger.

While the two sides remain far off on a deal, there's no way the Yankees have a strong season without at least bringing back Beli.

Signing him to a seven-year contract seems less than ideal, but at this point the Yankees may have no choice. They have waited far too long, and now Bellinger knows the money is certainly there.

With the Los Angeles Dodgers off the table, there aren't many, if any teams that will give Bellinger $60 million a year. It's not like he was asking for that in the first place, but now he's absolutely going to use Tucker's contract as leverage.

Yankees Need To Resign Bellinger

Oct 1, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) reacts after flying out during the third inning against the Boston Red Sox during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Bo Bichette remains on the market but that's a name the Yankees haven't ever been in serious consideration for. It's mind-blowing that they aren't, but clearly all of their time and attention has been put into Bellinger which isn't exactly the best case scenario.

Either way, if the Yankees let Beli go to a team like the New York Mets or even San Francisco Giants, there's no way they can recover in a timely manner. It seems like they've done everything in their power to bring him back, but there are certain things they can budge on to help their case.

Jon Heyman knows New York can leverage a signing bonus, deferrals, and opt-outs to their advantage. The opt-outs are the big key at this point, and adding a pair of those could be exactly what they need to save their season.

All Eyes On Cody Bellinger

Oct 5, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) congratulates left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) after a two-run 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: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

This is exactly what Bellinger wanted, so now it's time for him to put his money where his mouth is. The coveted outfielder is the final big name on the market, other than Bichette, and will have a chance to hear out every offer before he makes his final decision.

If the Yankees aren't able to bring Bellinger back, their biggest move would be trading four prospects for pitcher Ryan Weathers. While pitching, and adding another player like Freddy Peralta would be amazing, this team is going nowhere if they don't add a bat or continue to strengthen themselves in the outfield.

Keep in mind, New York's first offer to Beli was a five-year deal around $155 million. Moving forward, they'll have to adjust that number, and potentially the length of the deal in order to guarantee their success for years to come.

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