NY Yankees reportedly open to offering Cody Bellinger a special contract clause

The New York Yankees have not let up in their pursuit of Cody Bellinger, and they have now added a special clause to the lucrative offer they’ve put on the table, one that could benefit the slugger down the road by giving him flexibility to finish his career elsewhere.

“…Latest contract offer to free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger was for five years and between $31 million and $32 million a year ($155 million to $160 million total) without deferrals, and the club has been open to the possibility of including opt-outs, according to a source briefed on the ongoing talks,” Brendan Kuty wrote in a recent article for The Athletic.

By revealing the potential opt-out clause, Kuty made it clear the Yankees are willing to offer Bellinger a more player-friendly deal. Last season in New York was one of the most productive of Bellinger’s career, as he posted 98 RBIs, his second-highest total, and 160 hits, also the second-most he has recorded in a single season.

Bellinger could get what he’s asking for

There is no official figure on what Bellinger is seeking, but whether it’s $150 million, $160 million, or even closer to $35 million per year, he could land that kind of deal based on the market conditions Kuty outlined. He pointed to recent contracts for players such as Pete Alonso, Kyle Schwarber, and Alex Bregman, each of whom secured significant deals despite being older than Bellinger.

“Bellinger, 30, is younger than all of them, and could argue his deal deserves to be longer than theirs, bringing him to a similar stage of his playing career,” Kuty wrote. He added, “A five-year deal for Bellinger would carry him through his age-35 season. A seven-year deal would bring him through his age-37 season, like Schwarber, but a year beyond the deals Alonso and Bregman accepted.”

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It’s also worth noting that when Bellinger first arrived in New York from the Cubs, his contract already included an opt-out clause. After the 2025 MLB season, he exercised that option and returned to free agency, making this negotiation familiar territory as he works to secure his next deal.