Cody Bellinger is having the kind of season that’s keeping the Yankees in striking distance of the Blue Jays in the AL East race.
The 2019 NL MVP is slashing .276 with 28 home runs and 93 RBIs through 139 games in pinstripes. That’s exactly what the Yankees needed when they added him to a lineup already featuring MVPs Aaron Judge, Paul Goldschmidt, and Giancarlo Stanton.
Now the question becomes whether this MVP quartet stays together.
Bellinger’s got a $25 million player option for 2026, but Jackson Roberts at Fastball On SI thinks he’ll opt out and work out a new deal with the Yankees anyway.
“He’s worth more than the $25 million he’d make if he exercised his player option, but no one knows that more than the Bronx Bombers, who also have to think about Trent Grisham’s free agency.”
It makes sense from both sides. Bellinger’s production suggests he can command more than $25 million annually, especially in today’s market. The Yankees, meanwhile, have seen firsthand what he brings to their championship aspirations.
The timing works too. With Trent Grisham hitting free agency, the Yankees will need to make decisions about their outfield configuration. Keeping Bellinger locked up long-term gives them flexibility to address other needs.
All this comes as the Yankees sit four games behind Toronto in the AL East with the regular season winding down. That gap feels manageable with the kind of production they’re getting from their star-studded lineup.
The way I see it, if Bellinger keeps performing like this through October, a new Yankees contract becomes even more likely. Championship runs have a way of making these decisions easier for both sides.
