🚨 CONTRACT WARNING LIGHTS ON: The New York Yankees may be staring down unexpected trouble with the Cody Bellinger contract — and it’s not about performance on the field. Subtle details buried in timing, structure, and long-term flexibility are starting to raise alarms inside league circles. What once looked like a clean win now feels far more complicated. This situation could test the Yankees’ front office sooner than anyone anticipated 👇

he New York Yankees have not had an extremely aggressive approach to the MLB offseason thus far.

Cody Bellinger remains one of the team’s top targets, but no deal has gotten close between the two parties just yet. With that being said, a new update has been shared that could be a cause of concern for the Yankees.

According to a January 8 report from Brendan Kuty of The Athletic, New York has made a new offer to Bellinger than had a high AAV, but it wasn’t a long enough deal for Bellinger’s camp.

“The New York Yankees’ latest multi-year contract offer to free-agent outfielder Cody Bellinger featured an average annual value of more than $30 million a year as Bellinger’s camp continued to push for seven years, multiple sources briefed on the ongoing talks told The Athletic on Thursday,” Kuty wrote.

Obviously, that isn’t the update that fans were wanting to read. Bellinger quickly became a fan favorite and the intention this offseason was to bring him back on a long-term deal.

New York Yankees Have Competition for Cody Bellinger in Free Agency

GettyYankees linked to making ‘significant’ move.

Entering the MLB offseason, Bellinger was always expected to be a hot commodity for teams looking for hitting. Throughout his career, he has been elite at the plate.

During the 2025 season with the Yankees, Bellinger produced more of the same.

He played in 152 games and hit 29 home runs to go along with 98 RBI. In addition, the 30-year-old star slashed .272/.334/.480 on the year.

Among the other teams who New York seems to be competing against for Bellinger in free agency are the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and San Francisco Giants. There is widespread interest in signing him. If a team is willing to offer big money and a longer deal, Bellinger could choose to leave town.

While the Yankees seem to be the front-runner at this point in time, a deal could fall apart if New York is not willing to increase the length of the deal they’re offering.

Yankees Could Shift Attention to Bo Bichette

GettyYankees’ Cody Bellinger has stunning contract ask.

If talks break down between the Yankees and Bellinger, there is another free agent who has started emerging as a potential target for the team.

According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, New York could look “more seriously” at Bichette as an option if a deal doesn’t materialize with Bellinger.

Bichette has recently been connected heavily to the Philadelphia Phillies. In a January 9 report from The Athletic, it was shared that Bichette will be meeting with the Phillies soon. They have been doing a lot of work to prepare for a Bichette signing.

Despite Philadelphia’s interest in Bichette, the Yankees could get involved. Playing for New York is always a draw and could make Bichette consider the option.

Bellinger still appears to be the Yankees’ No. 1 priority in free agency. The talks have not been going smoothly to this point, but that could change in the future. For now, there remain a lot of questions about his future in New York.