The offseason is about to begin in earnest, and it’s pressure time for the New York Yankees.
The 16 years without a World Series title is an eternity for this Yankees franchise. This year brought another successful regular season, but also an embarrassing playoff loss to the division-rival Toronto Blue Jays. And much like last winter, the Yankees stand to lose some major talent in free agency.
Outfielder Cody Bellinger came to the Yankees because the Chicago Cubs didn’t want him anymore, and he made them look foolish for that decision. The former National League Most Valuable Player put up a five-win season, his best since 2019, and quickly took to playing in Yankee Stadium on both sides of the ball.
It’s a worthwhile objective for the Yankees to keep Bellinger around, but what sort of commitment is that going to take? One baseball writer recently attempted to answer that question.
On Sunday, NBC Sports’ Matthew Pouliot predicted that Bellinger would land a five-year, $145 million deal, which would be a slight improvement over the $26.7 million average annual value on his last contract, and would keep him under contract through his age-34 season.
“Bellinger’s declining bat speed seems like a problem, but his approach is just so good these days,” Pouliot wrote. “He does probably need to stick with a team that plays in a ballpark with a short porch in (right field). He’s great in the outfield corners and at first base, and he could still probably handle center if necessary. Prediction: five year, $145 million.”
If $29 million per year is all it takes for the Yankees to keep their second-most important hitter, it’s probably a commitment they have to make without hesitation. There will be other teams that try to pry Bellinger loose, likely high-payroll teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.
Meanwhile, the Yankees also have to decide this week whether to tender the qualifying offer to fellow outfielder Trent Grisham, so that decision could also be informative as to what they’re thinking about Bellinger.
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