The Yankees added Bellinger in a trade with the Chicago Cubs last winter, and he was better than advertised in his one season in the Bronx. After opting out of his contract, he’s a free agent, and the Yankees can’t afford to lose him.

Ryan Finkelstein of Just Baseball recently projected Bellinger would sign a massive six-year, $150 million deal with the Yankees in free agency this winter.

“If he wants years, at 30 years old, he can probably still get six or seven, assuming he is willing to take a lower AAV. If he’s willing to beat on himself on another three-year deal, he could easily find a deal worth $30 million per season,” Finkelstein wrote. “If he wants years, at 30 years old, he can probably still get six or seven, assuming he is willing to take a lower AAV. If he’s willing to beat on himself on another three-year deal, he could easily find a deal worth $30 million per season.”

The Yankees are reportedly chasing Kyle Tucker in free agency, but they’d be smarter to go after Bellinger for less than half the price.

Signing him to a deal like this would allow the Yankees to also target stars like Tatsuya Imai, Bo Bichette, and Edwin Diaz. If they sign Tucker, their offseason is practically over. But if they sign Bellinger, the opportunities are endless.

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