MASSIVE Cody Bellinger Free Agency Update – Star Player RETURNING to New York…

MASSIVE Cody Bellinger Free Agency Update – Star Player RETURNING to New York…

We have a massive Cody Bellinger update to go over today as free agency is heating up in New York right now with multiple Yankees updates, including one on one of their free agent pitchers who has had a whole lot of different stories coming out about his future with the Yankees as well. There’s a whole lot to go over on the Yankees today and we are going to waste no time jumping right into things, guys. But real quick, if you’re part of that 70% that’s not subscribed to Yankees Digest, this is the place we for all New York Yankees updates. We will have every Yankee free agency update coming at you within 30 minutes of news breaking. Whether that’s about a signing they made, a player they lost, or a target that does not sign with the Yankees, and anything else in between, we will have updates on that for you. But let’s jump right into the video, guys. There’s a lot to discuss on the Yankees right now because one of the biggest free agents in baseball right now is Cody Bellinger. Bellinger just spent a season with the Yankees where things looked very, very good. After a slow start to the season, Bellinger became the Yankees second best offensive player behind Darren Judge and feels like a crucial part of this team going forwards. However, opting out of that $25 million player option, Bellinger has one chance to get a very good payday over a long-term year or over a long-term deal, I should say, as he’s 30 years old right now. One of the better fielders in the outfield, one of the best outfielding or one of the best fielding outfielders, I should say, while also being a well above average hitter. Cody Bellinger might not ever get back to that MVP form, but he is damn good and he had a lot of success with the New York Yankees. A ballpark that is very optimal for Bellinger to play in. However, he likely will sign with the highest bidder with a whole lot of teams having interest. We have a few different updates on Bellinger to go over. One of them right here being by Brendan Cuy who said, “Expect the battle for Cody Bellinger to be more aggressive than many think, especially given the Los Angeles Dodgers need outfielder and have a long history with him. Ultimately, we expect him to resign with the Yankees where he was perhaps the MVP among everyday notamed Aaron Judge players. Now, Balinger provide a 125 ops plus leadership and the ability to play four positions. He could wind back up back in center field with the Yankees who likely will not or likely not give Trent Trent Gisham the qualifying offer. They did give Gisham the qualifying offer. That is something important to note here. But as Cuy continued by saying, what’s of utmost important for the Yankees is that they don’t even consider sliding Judge back to center from right field. Bellinger would give them an everyday option at the position with the possibility of moving him to left field if they prefer a more glove first option in center. Sure, Kyle Tucker will get paid and the Yankees wouldn’t be doing their job if they don’t if they didn’t engage in his representatives, but it seems highly unlikely that he winds up in pinstripes right now. However, Bellinger, it feels like the most likely scenario is that he does resign in New York. The Yankees want to give Bellinger a deal. Bellinger costs a whole lot less than Kyle Tucker will. He provides a better glove in the outfield. Can play center field or can move to left and Jason Dominguez or Spencer Jones can step in at that center field spot. Both of whom are seen as legit center fielding options in the MLB level. Especially Spencer Jones, who has time and time again been named as a guy who is really a center fielder, a true center fielder in baseball with that power. Does leave a lot of interest on the table. And because Ballinger can move around throughout the outfield or just step in at first base if you need, he really can go all over the place, which is super super important for this Yankees team that definitely had really good fielding this year and wants to continue to have good fielding going forwards. Now, Bellinger is a star. He should have been an all-star last season. at a 5.1 war, a 272 batting average, 29 home runs, and an 813 OPS with an OPS plus a 125. The former MVP found his rhythm once again in Chicago with the Cubs, but then really became a star again with the Yankees after having an average season as a hitter with the Cubs last time around. His numbers jumped up in New York, was one home run away from 30 home runs on the year. And he would have gotten there if he didn’t have such a slow start. He couldn’t get things going for the first couple of weeks of the season with the Yankees, but then remembered who he was and has been excellent ever since. Bellinger was good in the playoffs. I mean, obviously struggled a bit here and there, but the fielding was as good as ever. And once again, really does feel like this Yankees second best player offensively. So, when we look at Bellinger, it does feel super super important that the Yankees do keep him around. And I do expect the Yankees to ultimately keep him around. They’ll go for Kyle Tucker. They’ll give him an offer. they’ll definitely talk to him. Tucker had an 841 OPS and a 266 batting average with only 22 home runs with the Cubs. Now, he did battle some injury and Tucker has now battled injury for a few seasons, but is known to be obviously one of the best hitters in baseball. Playing in Chicago, playing at Wrigley specifically. It’s not an optimal park to have a bunch of success, especially as a lefty batter, which is one of the reasons why we saw Bellinger struggle a little bit there. But the Cubs likely won’t be retaining Kyle Tucker, who will have a bunch of suitors, including the Dodgers, who will certainly go hard for Kyle Tucker. The Yankees will talk to him. The Mets will talk to him. The Phillies will likely talk to him. All the bigname teams are going to talk to Kyle Tucker to try to see what the price is and see if he’s ultimately the right option to go for here. Now, a year ago, I talked extensively about how if the Yankees would lose Juan Sodto, which they did, and then after them losing Juan Sodto that Kyle Tucker is the perfect replacement option. But right now, do the Yankees really want to spend all that money there, or do you want to spend less money on Cody Bellinger, who is a great player? He’s not as good as Kyle Tucker, but he’s very, very, very good. And then on top of that, you get to move forwards with a different option elsewhere. You get to spend more money on shortstop or on third base or any other position that you feel like desperately needs an upgrade. Whether it’s adding another pitcher to the team who’s a star, whether it’s finding a replacement for Anthony Vulpi, whether that’s through a trade and an extension or just trying to sign Bo Bashette, the Yankees would have more financial flexibility by signing Cody Bellinger because he costs less. Now again, if Tucker is for the right price, you go out there and you get Kyle Tucker and you don’t ask questions about it. Right now, the Yankees do seem fully locked in on Cody Bellinger. Now, all that being said, there has been a bunch of talk about other positions as well, specifically the Yankees bullpen, which definitely needs upgrades. And ESPN’s Kylie McDaniels did McDaniel did say that Devin Williams is an interesting player here because he had a wild spike in his RA in a 479 in his one year in New York after a great run from 2020 to 2024 having a 1.70 RA in in 222 innings pitched in Milwaukee which was his in which his 7.6 Ward was the second best among relievers in that span. His underlying numbers were slightly worse in 2025. His XRA was a 2.29 29 in 2020 to 2024 and a 3.07 in 2025, but nowhere near as bad as what his RA would have you believe. His velocity was up a bit in the second half and his strikeout rate also jumped from 31% to 39%. So, there’s a case to be made that bad luck amplifies a slight regression from arguably the best reliever in the game to merely one of the best 10 to 15 in the league. Williams might see more value in a shorter term deal or one with an opt- out to reset his market. But as McDaniel says, I think there will be a three-year interest at a healthy average annual value. Now, McDaniel did predict with Devin Williams specifically that he would be getting three years $45 million. So 15 on average annual value. I wouldn’t be shocked if there’s an opt out after the first or the second year. Now for reference also Kai not Kyle Tucker Cody Bellinger is expected to get six years 165 million which is 27.5 average annual value. I imagine Tucker is going to be around 40 million average annual. So this is one of the reasons why I’m saying the Yankees could go out there and whether it’s Devin Williams, whether it’s someone else, you could spend this money here and then also the money on Bellinger and you’re getting a lot more of a well-rounded team instead of just swinging for the fences for a guy who swings for the fences in Kyle Tucker. So, that’s something the Yankees have to consider whether it’s Devin Williams or not Deon Williams. And I imagine most people watching this are saying not Devin Williams, which is my sort of the way I’m leaning as well. It is interesting. It’s something that we have to do discuss here. I mean, Williams obviously didn’t have a good season last year with the Yankees with a negative.3 war, a 479 RA, and in the 67 games he appeared and only got 18 saves. He appeared in 62 innings, struggled mightily, but did start striking people out as per usual, getting 90 strikeouts, and had a whip that was still good of a 1.129. It’s not the whip that we’re used to seeing Devin Williams pitch at, but it’s still good and that’s what matters here to some degree. Now, on top of that, there also has been other discussions surrounding Williams, surrounding the Yankees bullpen as well with a guy like Luke Weaver, who’s also a free agent. And Cuddy mentioned that Luke Weaver and Devin Williams are free agents, but would a reunion with either make sense? Williams in particular would seem like a good candidate to target in terms of upside and cost efficiency. Overall, he had a down season, but many of his advanced stats point to to a right-hander with filthy stuff. Williams is 31 years old and also closed out the season very well. After August 20th, he had a 3.29 RA with a .88 FIP or87 FIP in 14 games, striking out 23 23 batters in 13 and 2/3 innings. I cannot speak today, guys. Push the sample back to August 10th and he struck out 34 of his final 70 batters he faced. After the Yankees final game of the playoffs, Williams said he would be open to returning to New York City, which he became much more acclimated to as the season continued. In regards to Luke Weaver, Weaver could also make sense as a bounceback candidate. He showed in 2024 that he could thrive in the bullpen in the Bronx, but the righty took a step backwards towards the middle of 2025, and pitch tipping problems bugged him through the end of the regular season and into the playoffs if Weaver, who’s 32 years old, can adjust delivery tweaks that minimize his tipping. He could return to the fireman role that he excelled in previously. Now, in regards to Luke Weaver, he’s a little bit more interesting because he flat out was atrocious in the playoffs. Had a 135 RA in the regular season. Had a 3.62 and was very, very good. Dealt with an injury and that did throw everything off. Again, an excellent whip. He wasn’t allowing guys on base, but he did start to allow runs and he did start to fall off, especially when he started tipping pitches. That really took heed in the playoffs when, you know, again, he had a 135 RA, not a 1.35, a 135 earned run average. 100. Yes, you guys understand. So, when we consider that, I would rather the Yankees try to bring back Devin Williams. Recently, Devin Williams, Aaron Judge, and Cam Schlitler did go to the New York Knicks opening game. So, it’s clear that Williams is cool with his teammates and does show some interest in sticking around in New York. So, I would love to see Devin Williams return. I actually do think he would bounce back. However, if I were Devin Williams, I would run for the Hills and just try to reset my brain to try to figure it out elsewhere. But, we’re going to see what happens. We know the Miami Marlins do have a lot of interest in Williams as well, and Luke Weaver should garner some interest on the trade market. But guys, what do you think? Do you want to see either Williams or Weaver return? Do you want to see both return? How much are you willing to give Cody Ballinger? Let me know all that in the comments down below. Be sure to get back to you. Like this video. Subscribe. Turn on post notifications. Have a great day.

Chris Gallagher breaks down new news on New York Yankees star Cody Bellinger amidst his free agency before diving into an update on Devin Williams as well.

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