Cody Bellinger has been the subject of many a rumor this Hot Stove season; after all that speculation, we may finally be closing in on a bidding war.
MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported earlier in the week that while it seemed likely Bellinger would stay in New York — either as a Yankee or with the Mets — the Cubs, Dodgers and Giants were all still engaged with the veteran outfielder.
It was the Cubs’ involvement that came up again on Sunday, as Heyman noted that the club had checked in not only with Bellinger but also Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette, among others. Later in the evening, Joel Sherman wrote in the New York Post that the Yankees had made Bellinger a second contract offer.
Although nothing is close, it’s fair to ask whether that offer signaled a coming end run. Sherman’s report came hours after Chris Kirschner and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required) reported the Yankees have been engaged in trade talks with the Brewers and Marlins for Freddy Peralta and Edward Cabrera, respectively, the first substantial rumor coming out of the Bronx in several weeks.
Despite Kyle Tucker being the cream of this year’s crop of free-agent outfielders, Bellinger has so far been the most coveted; in addition to being the more affordable alternative, he’s still just 30 years old heading into his 10th Major League season and has clearly turned a corner after the extreme dip in production that marked the end of his time with the Dodgers from 2020-22. In the last three seasons with the Cubs (2023-24) and Yankees (’25), Bellinger has averaged 24 home runs and 91 RBIs per season, slashing a combined .281/.338/.477 with a 125 OPS+. The holdup on Bellinger is also likely at least in part responsible for the lack of movement on Tucker, given the implications Bellinger’s market value would have on Tucker’s.
Little information has been forthcoming about Bellinger’s negotiations with the Cubs — or any other club, for that matter. That said, given Chicago’s reported interest in several other free agents, the question is whether the club likely to let Tucker walk is willing to add more than one long-term deal to its books.
