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The New York Yankees are in a battle to keep Cody Bellinger in MLB free agency.

The New York Yankees could be in danger of losing one of the team’s star players in MLB free agency. To make matters worse, the latest MLB rumors indicate one of the Yankees’ biggest rivals could be looming as a major threat.

Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly offered predictions for the top MLB free agents. The analyst predicts Yankees star outfielder Cody Bellinger will bolt the Yankees for the New York Mets on a five-year, $135 million contract.

“The flip side of that is the Yankees will be left empty-handed if Bellinger doesn’t re-sign,” Kelly wrote in a November 17, 2025, story titled, “MLB Free Agency 2025-26: Contract and Landing Spot Predictions for Top 25 Players.” “So they are motivated to re-sign him, and considering he posted much more modest numbers on the road this past year—.241 batting average, .715 OPS—his preference should be to remain with the Yankees.

“But if the Yankees opt for a bigger fish, Bellinger could be a great fit for the crosstown-rival Mets, taking over as their starting center fielder and continuing to give them flexibility at first base and the other two outfield spots,” Kelly added.

“Ultimately, that’s what we’re going to project, though a return to the Yankees shouldn’t be ruled out, while the Phillies, Royals and Dodgers are among the other teams that could make sense for the former NL Rookie of the Year.”

Can the Yankees and Star Cody Bellinger Agree on a New Contract?

Bellinger opted out of a three-year, $80 million contract to explore MLB free agency. The 2-time All-Star has emphasized his desire to re-sign with the Yankees, but it remains to be seen if the two parties can come together on the financials to keep the outfielder wearing pinstripes.

“It was a fun group to be a part of,” Bellinger noted after the Yankees were eliminated in the playoffs, per MLB.com. “We came up short, and that part stinks for sure, because we had a really, really good group here.”

Yankees Rumors: Cubs OF Kyle Tucker Floated as a Potential Replacement Option for Cody Bellinger

It may not be all bad news for the Yankees if Bellinger does bolt the team. New York is also being linked to Cubs star outfielder Kyle Tucker.

Bleacher Report predicts that the Yankees will sign Tucker over Bellinger. It is a move that will likely be more expensive than keeping Bellinger as Bleacher Report projects a 10-year, $360 million deal for Tucker.

SNY.TV’s Anthony McCarron makes the case for the Yankees turning to Tucker if Bellinger leaves.

“OK, we’re like the rest of the world, linking the Yankees to the top bat on the free agent market, Kyle Tucker,” McCarron detailed in a November 17, article titled, “If Yankees miss out on Cody Bellinger, what’s Plan B for their offseason?” “They are the Yankees, after all, and this feels like an annual tradition. Tucker would be a neat replacement should Bellinger leave and he’ll play next season at 29 years old.

“Tucker has played much of his career in right field, a spot currently occupied on the Yankees by the game’s most destructive offensive force (Aaron Judge, duh), so he’d have to move to left. No biggie and it’s fun to imagine Judge and Tucker in the same lineup, along with other thumpers such as Giancarlo Stanton and Ben Rice,” McCarron added.

“Adding Tucker doesn’t feel super-likely, however, considering how much more expensive he could turn out to be than Bellinger. The Yanks are already sitting on some mammoth contracts.”

Jonathan Adams is a veteran sports contributor covering the NFL, NBA and golf for Heavy.com. His work has been prominently featured on NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated. More about Jonathan Adams

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