The New York Yankees may need to outbid the San Francisco Giants to retain the services of an MVP-caliber outfielder again.
The Giants have reportedly checked in on Cody Bellinger to potentially fill their vacancy in right field, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
The Giants’ interest in Bellinger isn’t exactly news, since his agent Scott Boras referenced them in his puntastic riddle at the MLB Winter Meetings last week. But Slusser’s reporting tangibly ties the Giants to Bellinger, since she is the most well-connected Giants reporter.
The Yankees, of course, warded off the Giants in the 2022 offseason to retain Aaron Judge on a nine-year contract. Judge, who won his third AL MVP in 2025, would have also filled the Giants’ hole in right field at Oracle Park.
The Giants Are Very Interested In Cody Bellinger
The Giants play in one of the most pitcher-friendly ballparks in the U.S., but Oracle Park is also conducive to left-handed power hitters, which Barry Bonds proved over his lengthy tenure by the Bay.
So Bellinger fits that mold. The 2019 NL MVP, who finished 10th in MVP voting as a member of the Chicago Cubs in 2023 and 14th for the Yankees in AL MVP voting last year, could match with Rafael Devers in the Giants lineup.
Giants general manager Zack Minasian confirmed to Slusser that he had conversations with Boras about Bellinger in Florida. But he downplayed their signficance.
“I don’t know if there was much more that we could do as far as conversations, meetings,” Minasian told Slusser. “I feel like some things are heading in the right direction.
“It’s tough to handicap when a deal is going to get done, but we try to put our best foot forward, and think we’ve shown we’re willing to be aggressive, and you know, some things, we’re still working on, some things we feel like maybe there’s a path. So we’ll see where it goes.”
Bellinger, along with fellow outfielder Kyle Tucker, are the two best offensive players on the market currently, since Kyle Schwarber re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies last week. Yet, the Giants don’t appear willing to put all their eggs in Bellinger’s basket if he is going to make them wait.
“It’s tough to say,” Minasian said of timing deals. “I think the motivation on our end is there to do it. It’s just difficult because it always takes the other side, whether that’s a team or an agent, but certainly we’re motivated to move, and we’re not necessarily the type to wait if we feel like there’s something that makes sense for the organization.”
The Yankees May Need To Pivot From Cody Bellinger
It’s hard to envision Bellinger signing elsewhere, if the Yankees are interested, other than maybe the Los Angeles Dodgers. The short porch in right field caters perfectly to Bellinger’s swing, and his patience and power while protecting Judge in the Yankees’ lineup is hard to duplicate.
But if, as Boras says, there are seven other teams hoping to make Bellinger their prized free-agent acquisition, it may be time to try something else. Tucker is also still out there, and the Yankees GM Brian Cashman has shown a willingness to get creative while dealing in the offseason.
Yankees Face New Contender for Star Free Agent Outfielder Cody Bellinger