The New York Yankees took Juan Soto’s signing with the New York Mets personally and are now doing whatever it takes to position themselves for another postseason run without the superstar.
Trade talks with the Chicago Cubs have reportedly been ongoing to bring Cody Bellinger to the Bronx, according to New York Post reporter Peter Botte.
The Yankees need to move on from Soto but bring in a big enough name to capture attention. A former World Series champion with the Los Angeles Dodgers and National League MVP could be just the solution.
Bellinger could also be pushed out of Chicago after the Cubs traded with the Houston Astros for three-time All-Star Kyle Tucker.
“There’s some players in both marketplaces [of trades and free agency] that would be of interest to us,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said on a Zoom call. “So far this winter, I haven’t imported a position player yet and just clearly haven’t been able to match up with something that makes sense in my world or their world. So those dialogues continue.”
Bringing Bellinger to the Bronx would be a full-circle moment for the family as his father, Clay Bellinger, won two World Series rings as a member of the Yankees from 1999-2001.
The only hurdle preventing the Yankees from closing the deal is they want the Cubs to pick up a chunk of the two years and $52.5 million remaining on his contract — which includes a $25 million opt-out for 2026.
According to The Post, the two sides are believed to be more than $10 million apart on an agreement.
Bellinger would be a good fit in New York, as the Yankees want a left-handed bat and could insert him in center field, moving Aaron Judge back to right.
Whatever the Yankees decide when it comes to Bellinger, their offseason is far from over.
“The job isn’t finished here,” Cashman said. “We’ve got to move forward and figure out a way to put the best team on paper that we can.
“Now’s the time to strike in the wintertime with the inventory we have via trades or free agency. Eventually that inventory is going to get a lot smaller. … We want to take advantage of that opportunity. We have more to do, and I hope to have more Zoom calls with you at some point to talk about something else.”
