Cody Bellinger remains unsigned for 2026, and the New York Yankees are currently viewed as the strongest contender for his services. However, according to a report, a deal would not be finalized until next month if the two sides are ultimately able to reach an agreement.
The report comes from a recent Bob Klapisch article for NJ.com, in which a source suggested the talks could drag on. “Don’t be surprised if this thing goes into February,” the source said. Klapisch added, “It’s been a steady drumbeat of bad rumors, speculation and false alarms. Two months into this black hole, the Yankees and Bellinger are miles apart.”
Bellinger would need to give a bit more ground if he wants to land in New York. Klapisch notes that the Yankees’ offer is coming in below Bellinger’s asking price. From the writer’s perspective, a reasonable compromise would be: “It’s not my money, but I’d consider $34 million a fair deal. Both sides walk away happy.”
Limited market for Bellinger
In the same article, Klapisch explains that interest in Bellinger is not coming from six or more teams, as sometimes suggested. Instead, one source believes that perception is largely part of an agent-driven strategy by Scott Boras, who is known for using that approach to apply pressure on teams like the Yankees.
“Another exec I speak to regularly jokingly said, ‘When Scott says he has eight (teams), it probably means he has none. But there’s a difference between lying and bluffing. It’s how Scott generates interest in his clients. I just know to never underestimate him,’” Klapisch wrote.
see also
Not NY Yankees or NY Mets: Cody Bellinger seen as favorite over Kyle Tucker for another team
Bellinger is believed to be pursuing what could be the final major contract of his MLB career, while asking for significantly more than his current market value. According to Spotrac, his market value sits at $30.4 million. The largest deal of his career was the three-year, $80 million contract he signed with the Cubs, though he did not finish that deal in Chicago.
