The New York Yankees have some work to do if they want to bring in Cody Bellinger to take over at first base.
Per the New York Post, the Yankees and Chicago Cubs are roughly $10 million apart in the amount the NL Central club would have to retain to facilitate a deal. Bellinger is due $27.5 million next season with a $25 million player option built in for 2026.
The 29-year-old former NL MVP projects to fare well at Yankee Stadium. The lefty bat hit 18 home runs with 78 RBI in 130 games in 2024 but has seasons of 25, 26, 39, and 47 round-trippers.
He could realistically hit 25 to 30 home runs in the Bronx, which would provide significant depth in the Yankees’ lineup behind Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, especially after losing Juan Soto to the Mets.
It is clear that New York does not want to pay the entirety of Bellinger’s deal, though, meaning that they would have to give up more to get some of that money taken off the books.
That makes proposed trades like the one set forward by NJ.com’s Randy Miller, which sent a prospect and starting pitcher Marcus Stroman to the Cubs for Bellinger and second baseman Nico Hoerner, unlikely.
Regardless, the Yankees need to figure out their first-base situation sooner rather than later this winter. If they cannot find a way to break the stalemate with the Cubs, general manager Brian Cashman could pivot elsewhere on the free-agent market.
Former Mets slugger Pete Alonso is still on the market, with his future in Queens plenty murky after Steve Cohen flashed $765 million to nab Soto. Recent reports suggest that there is mutual interest between the Yankees and Alonso, even with the Mets publicly saying that they want to bring the 30-year-old back.
Christian Walker, most previously of the Arizona Diamondbacks, has also been linked with a move to the Bronx. The 33-year-old averaged nearly 32 home runs over the previous three seasons.
