The race for Cody Bellinger is heating up, and the New York Yankees are not alone in pursuing the veteran outfielder. While the Yankees are looking for a reunion with Bellinger, they also have been making calls about Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyler Tucker, striking a debate about which player can offer more.

To MLB.com’s David Schoenfield, the answer is obvious.

“Tucker is the better hitter, no doubt. Bellinger is a different hitter than when he won the NL MVP in 2019 and then hurt his shoulder — now focusing on more contact at the expense of exit velocity — but he has made it work,” he wrote.

“He had enough pull-side power to hit 29 home runs with the Yankees this season, although he hit 18 of those at home. But it’s those latter two metrics that stand out: Bellinger is the superior fielder and the better runner. He’s a year older than Tucker, but I like his chances to hold his value — and at perhaps half the price it will take to sign Tucker,” Schoenfield continued.

Bellinger slashed a .272/.334/.480 for an OPS of .814 in 2025, one of his best seasons since his 2019 MVP season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tucker slashed a .266/ .377/ .464 for an OPS of .841 and hit 22 homers in his first season with the Cubs. The conversation surrounding the two men has dominated the Yankees’ offseason.

Should the Yankees Sign Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker?

One of the biggest hesitations for Bellinger naysayers is his age, as Schoenfield mentioned. He’ll turn 31 in the middle of the 2026 season, so signing him to a multi-year deal is risky if his performance drops off. However, Tucker is not much younger than Bellinger and presents the exact same risk.

While the Yankees have been pursuing Bellinger and Tucker and have been linked to practically every outfielder on the market, they could throw fans for a major loop. Some analysts have predicted that the Pinstripes won’t make any more offseason moves.

It’s certainly an angle the team could go for now that Trent Grisham has signed a one-year, $22 million qualifying offer. With Jasson Dominguez, Aaron Judge and Grisham the outfield is getting quite crowded, especially with Oswaldo Cabrera set to return from injury by Opening Day. While it’s assumed that the Yankees will use Dominguez, who had an up and down 2025 season, as a trade piece, they could retain him and hope for the best if a deal with Bellinger collapses.

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