The New York Yankees have had a quiet start to the offseason. The American League East club has yet to make any major moves as we approach the middle of January, but that is very likely to change before we get to the 2026 season.
The Yankees have been connected to several notable free agents this offseason, such as Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker. It is also no secret that the Yankees would love to bring back star slugger Cody Bellinger after the good year he had for them in 2025.
In 152 games this past season with the Yankees, Bellinger had 29 home runs, 98 RBIs, and a .272 batting average. With numbers like these, there is no question that the two-time All-Star proved to be a fantastic addition to the Yankees’ roster.
With Bellinger having such a strong year for the Yankees, he has naturally been generating interest in free agency. Besides the Yankees, teams like the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants have been linked to Bellinger throughout this winter.
Yet, a new and surprising American League club has been named a dark horse to watch in the Bellinger sweepstakes.
Royals Named Dark Horse for Yankees Star Free Agent Cody Bellinger
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Joel Reuter named dark-horse landing spots for each of baseball’s top remaining free agents. Bellinger naturally made the cut, as he is easily one of the best players still available for the taking.
When it came to Bellinger, Reuter picked the Kansas City Royals as the dark-horse team that could steal Bellinger from the Yankees.
“They don’t often make splashy free-agency moves, but Bellinger could be a transformative addition to their lineup, joining Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel García, Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino. With Isaac Collins, Kyle Isbel and Jac Caglianone as the current projected outfield, there might be no team that would benefit more from upgrading in the grass,” Reuter wrote about the Royals.
With the Royals being a team on the rise, it would be massive for them if they successfully landed Bellinger. He would provide them with another veteran slugger who has had plenty of success and has also won a World Series championship. With this, he would have the potential to be a great mentor for the Royals’ young players as they look to become true contenders.
Bellinger would also, of course, give the Royals another legitimate star in their lineup who not only performs well at the plate but also can play multiple positions. With this, he would be a fantastic addition for the Royals in multiple ways if signed.
Yankees Must Work Hard to Bring Back Bellinger
With how great a fit Bellinger was for the Yankees this past season, they must find a way to keep him in New York. If the Yankees end up losing him to the Royals or any other team, it would create a massive hole on their roster that they would need to address.
Yet, with Bellinger having multiple other suitors, the possibility of him departing the Yankees certainly cannot be ruled out. It will be fascinating to see if the Yankees can re-sign him or if he will end up elsewhere.
Yankees Star Free Agent Linked to Surprising AL Club