The New York Yankees had a choice of two outfielders to pursue in free agency between Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker. After Tucker signed a massive deal with the Dodgers, the Yankees brought back Bellinger on a five-year deal.
Once Tucker came off the board, bringing back Bellinger became an easy decision for the Yankees. They targeted Bellinger in a trade when the Chicago Cubs made him available following the 2024 season. His high air-pull rate, which sits at 23.2% for his career, was tailor-made for Yankee Stadium’s short porch in right field.
That decision has proven to be great in hindsight, for both the team and the player. Bellinger is on track for potentially his third career All-Star appearance, and his first with the Yankees. He leads all MLB left fielders in fWAR (2.3), thanks to his all-around value.
Cody Bellinger Makes Yankees Free Agent Decision Smart
GettyCody Bellinger has rewarded the Yankees’ continued commitment to him with one of the best seasons of his career.
Heading into the offseason, Kyle Tucker was considered a stronger free agent than Bellinger. Tucker ranked 10th in fWAR (23.4) and wRC+ (143) from 2021-2025. The expectation was that Bellinger’s market wouldn’t develop until after Tucker came off the board. Ultimately, it played out that way, as Bellinger signed 11 days after Tucker.
Through the first two months of 2026, Bellinger has outperformed Tucker. Bellinger has played a key role for the Yankees, both offensively and defensively. He enters play on June 5 with a .273/.373/.468 slash, eight home runs, and a 136 wRC+. That is 26 points higher than Tucker’s 110.
Further widening the gap is the defensive value that Bellinger provides. The Yankees’ left fielder is currently at +15 Defensive Runs Saved and +3 Outs Above Average. Just Baseball posted on X that Bellinger’s 135 OPS+ is the second-highest mark for any player with at least +10 DRS. Only Dodgers’ center fielder Andy Pages (137) is higher.
Cody Bellinger: 135 OPS+ Wilyer Abreu: 122 OPS+ Andy Pages: 137 OPS+ PCA: 116 OPS+ Cole Young: 97 OPS+ Matt Chapman: 90 OPS+
Belli has turned himself back into one of the best all-around players in the game 🗽
Meanwhile, Tucker has been 0 DRS and -3 OAA in right field for the Dodgers. While he’s been a solid player, you’re not expecting a 110 wRC+ or 0.9 fWAR from baseball’s highest-paid player in AAV.
Tucker’s 2026 season can be described as bizarre, but perhaps not unforeseen. He dealt with injuries and a decline in performance in the second half with the Cubs. Tucker slashed just .239/.360/.378 since the All-Star break, good for a 115 wRC+. However, that decline in production has carried over to his first year with the Dodgers.
What makes the decision even better for the Yankees is how much the two outfielders are getting paid. Bellinger got $162.5 million on his current deal, with no deferrals, worth about $31.5 million per season. That’s barely more than half of what Tucker got.
Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker’s Paths Intertwined by One Cubs Trade
The Yankees continue to benefit from the Cubs’ decision to replace Cody Bellinger with Kyle Tucker.
Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker will always be forever linked to each other due to that one offseason trade. The Cubs paid a premium on the trade market to land Tucker, which pushed Bellinger out of a role. Eventually, the Yankees swooped in and landed their left fielder on a discount.
Looking at how the two teams ended up, the Yankees have to be feeling good about their choices. Not only in their initial acquisition of Bellinger, but also in the decision to retain him.
Both the Yankees and Dodgers are in excellent shape in their respective leagues. The two clubs are viewed as the favorites to win the World Series. Should that matchup happen, there will be more chatter about which team got the better deal. Right now, the Yankees are that team.
Yankees Have to Love Cody Bellinger Decision After Kyle Tucker’s Slow Start