Report: AL East Star Will Opt Out, Enter Free Agency In Offseason
Will the Yankees lose a former MVP?
A Boston Red Sox rival could lose a key piece of their 2025 squad this offseason.
Cody Bellinger plans to exercise his opt-out clause and become a free agent after the playoffs, per ESPN’s Jorge Castillo. The outfielder would have made $25 million for the New York Yankees if accepting the option.
Bellinger could earn more money — or at least additional long-term stability — after a bounce-back year in the Bronx. He batted .272/.334/.480 with his most home runs (29) and RBIs (98) since his 2019 National League MVP campaign with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Chicago Cubs sent Bellinger to the Yankees as a salary dump after acquiring Kyle Tucker, who is also a free agent this offseason. Bellinger’s OPS dipped from .881 to 2023 in 751 in 2024, so the thought of the left-hander taking his 2026 player option probably seemed less appealing to his organization at the time.
Yet Bellinger repaired his value by posting a higher fWAR (4.9) than Tucker (4.5) with the Yankees. While he’s delivered inconsistent year-to-year results, a career-high 84.2 percent contact rate offers hope that Bellinger won’t revert to the player who batted .203 from 2020 to 2022.
Bellinger’s 2025 season ended when the Toronto Blue Jays eliminated the Yankees on Wednesday. Following the American League Division Series loss, via SNY Yankees Videos, Bellinger said he’d “absolutely” welcome a return to New York.
“I had an unbelievable time putting on this uniform,” Bellinger said. “Yankee Stadium, the fans, the organization, the culture that these guys have created in this locker room. It really is special.”
The Yankees could devote a full-time job to Jasson Domínguez if Bellinger leaves, but they’d miss his fielding and left-handed power. Bellinger’s power may also plummet without Yankee Stadium’s short porch in right field, as he slugged .544 at home and .414 on the road this year.
