Top Landing Spots for Free Agent Cody Bellinger
Will Bellinger come back to the Bronx, or will the star outfielder get snapped up by another contender?
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Outfielder Cody Bellinger declined a $25 million player option with the New York Yankees to test free agency once again. The 2019 NL MVP is seeking a long-term deal this offseason, the likes of which he hasn’t yet been able to sign.
Coming hot off a three-year, $80 million contract (the final year of which he opted out of), Bellinger still headlines the outfield class of 2026 alongside Kyle Tucker and projects to earn a big payday, though the longer he stays on the market, the more willing he might be to sign another short-term deal.
In what turned into a contract year, Bellinger slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI for the Yankees, and his 4.9 fWAR was the second-best on the team, behind Aaron Judge’s outlandish 10.1 fWAR.
After being acquired last offseason from the Chicago Cubs in a one-for-one for reliever Cody Poteet, Bellinger resumed his star form in pinstripes and gave the Yankees one heck of a season.
He became the ninth player in Yankees history to slug at least 29 home runs without making an All-Star Game and is the only such player to steal at least 12 bases in a season.
Bellinger’s 2025 season had its ups and downs as he went through cold and hot spells at the plate. But when he was hot, he was hot.
In July, he smashed eight home runs with 20 RBI and a triple-slash of .323/.350/.657. He was one of four players in the month with 20+ games played to strike out just eight times or fewer (Luis Arraez, Jeff McNeil, Caleb Durbin).
This is an updated version of an article that was originally published on November 3, 2025.
Free Agent Profile: Cody Bellinger
- Age in 2026: 30
- 2025 Stats: 152 G, .272/.334/.480, 29 HR, 98 RBI, 125 wRC+, 4.9 fWAR
- 2025 Salary: $27.5 million, $25 million player option for 2026
- Qualifying Offer Received?: Ineligible, declined QO from CHC in 2023
Contract Projection
- Contract Length Expectation: 3-6 years
- Expected AAV: $25-30 million
Bellinger could still sign a long-term contract like we originally projected, but now that he’s spent three months on the open market, it’s worth considering that he could take another short-term deal with a high AAV and multiple opt-outs instead.
Whether he signs a long-term contract or a shorter deal, Bellinger is going to get paid either way. Teams don’t necessarily view Bellinger as the 47-home run hitter that he was in 2019 with the Dodgers, but he is a strong defensive outfielder who can hit for both power and contact in what is still the prime of his career.
His new deal could still easily be for as many as six years, because he’s going to be looking to settle down with a team for quite some time. The chance to be a mainstay in someone’s outfield for the next half-decade is presumably important to Bellinger and his camp.
His projected pricetag coming in around $25-30 million per season is based on his last three-year deal with the Cubs ($26.667 million AAV), incorporating his performance throughout the deal. If he’s able to get the long-term deal he’s looking for, his AAV might find itself near the lower part of this range, but a shorter-term contract would probably feature a higher CBT hit per season.
Landing Spots for Cody Bellinger
New York Yankees
Cody Bellinger in a Yankees uniform this past season just worked perfectly, and he certainly put on a show in his contract year.
While Bellinger will decline his $25 million player option for the 2026 season with the Yanks, it’s definitely within the realm of possibility that he could reunite with them on a longer-term deal in free agency. The Yankees fell short of their postseason goals in 2025 by losing to the Blue Jays in the ALDS, but they have the talent to make it back there stronger.
Offensively, Yankee Stadium’s dimensions align excellently with Bellinger’s hitting strengths, as the short porch in right field gave him plenty to do with his sweet lefty swing. He has a career slashline of .302/.367/.545 in Yankee Stadium, and he’s shown an ability to consistently find the gap for extra-base hits.
It would make too much sense for the Evil Empire to seek a reunion with Bellinger, and they’ve already expressed significant interest.
They’re always very active in free agency and are known for going after the top players every offseason, so why wouldn’t they throw some cash at Bellinger? It’ll cost them a pretty penny, but the Yankees have a good shot at bringing him back to the Bronx.
Chicago Cubs
A reunion on the North Side of Chicago would be a spectacular fit for both Bellinger and the Cubs, as Chicago is likely going to lose star right fielder Kyle Tucker. Tucker is seeking a massive deal coming off a strong season. The Cubs could slot Bellinger into that right field role.
Bellinger played two seasons with the Cubs (2023-24) and posted a combined slashline of .286/.340/.475, including a 2023 season that really rejuvenated his career. Coming off a three-year stretch of .648 OPS baseball, Bellinger signed a deal to come to the Cubs and had his best season since winning the 2019 NL MVP.
With Bellinger manning the right field corner in Wrigley Field, the Cubs would have an outfield consisting of Ian Happ in left field (3x Gold Glover), Pete Crow-Armstrong in center field (MLB-leading 24 OAA, 99th-percentile FRV in 202) and Bellinger in right field (91st-percentile FRV in 2025).
It would just make too much sense for the Cubs to seriously pursue such a player in the wake of likely losing the bat of Tucker from their lineup. Chicago lost a winner-takes-all Game 5 in the NLDS this year against the Milwaukee Brewers, and Bellinger might be the guy who can push them over the line.
New York Mets
It wouldn’t be a free agency prediction post without mentioning Steve Cohen and the New York Mets, now would it?
The Mets have been involved on every high-profile free agent under the sun since Cohen took over ownership of the team in 2020. What’s more, their offense has lost the strong lineup presence of Pete Alonso, as well as Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil, Cedric Mullins and Starling Marte. Bellinger is certainly on their watchlist.
Slotting into the outfield alongside Juan Soto, Bellinger would give the Mets one of the most potent outfields in all of baseball and yet another strong lefty bat in the heart of their order.
The Mets somehow managed to miss out on the playoffs this past season after signing Soto to the largest contract in MLB history, but adding another superstar talent could be just what they need.
It would be silly to suggest that the Mets couldn’t benefit from the presence of Bellinger and his five-tool skill set, but it’s worth mentioning one thing in particular: The whole team combined for a .236/.311/.385 triple-slash against left-handed pitching in 2025.
Yet, hitting same-handed pitching is something Bellinger does better than nearly any other lefty hitter. So yes, they do need a player like him, and it wouldn’t be a meaningless addition for the sake of spending money.
He slashed .353/.415/.601 against LHP in 2025 for the Yankees. Among left-handed hitters with at least 50 games played this season, his .353 batting average led the pack by a wide margin, as second-place Brice Turang of the Brewers finished with a .305 average against LHP.
Bellinger could seriously benefit a lefty-heavy Mets lineup that struggled against southpaws in 2025.
San Francisco Giants
The Giants are on the prowl for their first true slugging, lefty outfielder since Barry Bonds left in 2007. In 2025, they finally saw their first 30-home run season since Bonds in ’04, thanks to last year’s free agent acquisition, righty-batting shortstop Willy Adames.
Oracle Park is a cavernous ballpark that definitely serves left-handed hitters a tough hand at the plate, but Triples Alley in right-center field gives a hitter like Bellinger a good variety of options offensively.
Bellinger’s speed could easily allow him to take extra bases on outfielders in Oracle Park’s vast confines, and he could find himself benefiting from the large right field wall. The 2025 Giants were full of fresh faces on both sides of the baseball, and an addition of Bellinger could solidify a competitive window in the Bay Area.
Lastly, the Giants need strong defense in their outfield because of its large dimensions. On one hand, this makes it a pitcher’s park and harder to hit home runs in, but at the same time, it’s one of the easiest parks to hit doubles and triples in, according to Baseball Savant’s Park Factor metrics.
Bellinger’s great range in the outfield will absolutely be an asset if the Giants want to continue to limit run scoring in Oracle Park.
Philadelphia Phillies
Admittedly, the Phillies aren’t as strong a fit as they were when we first published this article in November. However, they’re one of only a handful of teams that have been formally linked to Bellinger – even if that link did come a month ago.
The Phillies have re-signed lefty sluggger Kyle Schwarber, but they lost outfielders Max Kepler and Harrison Bader to free agency, and they’re likely going to trade or cut Nick Castellanos before Opening Day.
Dave Dombrowski suggested they could enter 2026 with the outfielders they have, including Brandon Marsh, Adolis García, and top prospect Justin Crawford. Yet, you have to think they would love to add a name like Bellinger to their already potent offense.
Marsh is capable of playing a serviceable left or center field, leaving the other to Bellinger if the Phillies are able to bring him on board. Marsh’s sprint speed and outfield range are good, but Bellinger’s are better – the starting center field role would likely be in his hands.
The Phillies have also seen a lot of cash come off their books this offseason, with a projected payroll that is currently $25 million below last year’s final number, even after re-signing Schwarber. While they are still trying to re-sign catcher J.T. Realmuto, it would make sense for them to use some of their resources on a player like Bellinger.
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Ethan has been writing for Just Baseball since 2024 and is fascinated by how sabermetric statistics can assist our understanding of outcomes and probability in baseball.…