Yankees Turn Their Attention to Trade Route

Last weekend, the New York Yankees were at an impasse with Cody Bellinger. Rumors still trickled out soon after, and this weekend, it's much the same. According to NJ.com's Bob Klapisch, the organization is standing by its offer and not backing off of it, while reportedly deciding not to engage in a bidding war over its versatile free agent.

They may be at an impasse more than previously reported, though. The Athletic's Brendan Kuty says they have turned their attention to the trade market and are ready to "move on."

"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 The Athletic. "They have maintained heavy interest in Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Freddy Peralta, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. But the Yankees would do well to upgrade their rotation, even if they retain Bellinger."

New York Yankees Left Fielder Cody Bellinge — Mar 29, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) and left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) celebrate after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 20-9 at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Granted, everybody has heard this one before. Until he leaves for a team like the Mets, these reports seem to change by the hour.

Previous Pivots

It will be interesting to see what the Yankees' pivot is if they end up moving off of Bellinger. For better or worse, General Manager Brian Cashman has always exhibited a certain level of creativity.

One example of this came before the 2022 season. However, it isn't a move that worked out in the long term.

That year, the league saw a star-studded shortstop free agent class. The Yankees balked on everybody, not loving the prices that the Carlos Correas and Corey Seagers of the world received. In Spring Training, the Yankees made an unexpected move with the Minnesota Twins, shipping core members, Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela, for their newly acquired Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Josh Donaldson, who had a beef with Gerrit Cole at the time, and catcher Ben Rortvedt.

Jul 5, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson (28) hits a solo home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | John Jones-Imagn Images

The plan was to take on Donaldson's contract after he showed an exemplary level of pop in 2021, hitting for a 121 wRC+, while also allowing IKF to take the reins at shortstop until Anthony Volpe or Oswald Peraza were ready. That plan blew up in their face.

Donaldson had a 91 wRC+ for his entire tenure with the Yankees and even had a weird racist moment with Tim Anderson, which led to his suspension. IKF also wasn't any good at shortstop. Oswald Peraza had to take his place in the American League Championship Series.

Cashman may look for a similar pivot here, where he fills a need, while also taking on another team's big-money deal. Who that can be remains to be seen, but, as we saw with Donaldson, a slugger who had caught the ire of Yankees fans the year before after his spat with team ace, there are no limits to what a trade can look like.

Where The Yankees Stand with Bellinger

At this point, it could be about grabbing the first possible move that materializes for the Yankees. If a trade comes up, they may take it. If Bellinger agrees, after this long winter, they'd surely be happy to have him locked up for the foreseeable future.

Regarding Bellinger, as it stands, the Yankees have only made minor tweaks to their offer, according to Kuty. Whether this is enough is one of the many queries that will soon be answered.

"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 also 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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