The New York Yankees may have publicly stated they expect Cody Bellinger to sign somewhere else, but Chris Kirschner and many others following closely can see through the negotiating tactic.
The Athletic’s Yankees beat writer laid out why he feels Bellinger returning to the Bronx is “inevitable” even though the two sides still have a sizable gap in contract negotiations.
The Yankees’ entire offseason has been centered around retaining Bellinger and running back the “most talented roster” the team had in manager Aaron Boone’s nearly decade-long run. Still, Bellinger is reportedly considering offers from eight teams — which his agent Scott Boras spelled out in a puntastic riddle at the MLB Winter Meetings last month.
Bellinger, who will turn 31 on July 13, slashed .272/.334/.480 for the Yankees last year with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs. He finished 14th in AL MVP voting, behind eventual winner, and Yankees captain Aaron Judge.
The Athletic Beat Reporter Chris Kirschner Predicts Cody Bellinger Will Return To The Yankees
Though both sides are clearly posturing, they have not broken off negotiations. The Yankees have a reported five-year offer worth more than $31 million annually yet have not met Boras’ demands of a seven-year deal.
Kirschner spelled out why, even though fans would rather have Bellinger under contract at this point, all signs still point to him returning.
“If he doesn’t return to the Yankees, then where is he going?” Kirschner wrote. “It seems obvious that no team, including the Yankees, has met Boras’ ask yet; otherwise, Bellinger would have likely signed by now.”
If the Yankees don’t re-sign Bellinger, they are likely staring at a platoon featuring Jasson Dominguez and potentially Spencer Jones in left field, two unproven players. But Kirschner laid out why that makes the Yankees even more likely to retain Bellinger.
“Bellinger and the Yankees know he can succeed in New York, and that is a big part of the equation here,” Kirschner wrote. “The Yankees’ front office does not have to wonder how Bellinger will perform in the league’s biggest market.
“That is a selling point for the Yankees to retain him, and for Boras and Bellinger it’s a key negotiating point they can make. The Yankees have been burned by adding good players who have quickly flamed out in New York. That’s not a worry here.”
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Kirschner said Bellinger’s free agent market and Kyle Tucker’s are intrinsically linked, which in theory offers New York a deadline to get a deal done before Tucker chooses between the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays.
Still, Kirschner explained why whoever misses out on Tucker might get cold feet with Bellinger.
“Even if that happens and Bellinger becomes the clear No. 1 outfielder available, there are concerns,” Kirschner wrote. “Bellinger was a major beneficiary of playing half his games at Yankee Stadium, where he was a top-20 hitter in the sport. His OPS was 194 points better in the Bronx than on the road, which, of course, other front offices that might be considering Bellinger will note.”
Between the market, and the Yankees’ desire to retain Bellinger, it seems inevitable for a reunion to the reporter.
“Ultimately, for the Yankees and Bellinger to both get what they want, the most realistic path is a reunion,” Kirschner wrote. “The Yankees get their No. 1 target, who they know fits their home ballpark, and Bellinger gets a long-term contract. That’s why it seems inevitable a deal will eventually get done.”
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