Fans complained all season about the New York Yankees having an all-or-nothing offense approach and shoddy defense that lost them winnable games. Now, we’re complaining that the Yankees want Cody Bellinger over Kyle Tucker.
Bellinger is the better fit in New York if we really want what we’ve been asking for all year.
Balanced Bat
The Yankees have no shortage of sluggers. What the Yankees lacked, among other things, were high-quality contact bats who could go yard while staying consistent. Tucker is the better slugger, but that can’t be the only metric they use to build the lineup. Bellinger had the better K rate in 2025, at 13.7% over Tucker’s 14.7%, and the better whiff percentage at 18.1% against Tucker’s 20.2%.
Tucker’s 17.6% chase rate is elite, and beats Bellinger’s 30%, which I mention to contradict myself.
Oct 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) reacts after hitting a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the seventh inning for game four of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
On the subject of slugging, in 2025, the Yankees led the league with a .455 slugging percentage, out ahead of the Dodgers’ .441. Five Yankees bats, including Bellinger, fell among the top 50 slugging percentages in the MLB (the others were Aaron Judge, Ben Rice, Jazz Chisholm and Trent Grisham).
Bellinger edged Tucker in 2025 on batting average and slugging percentage, and finished with more home runs, hits and RBIs. Tucker is slightly younger, and will be 29 at the start of the 2026 season compared with Bellinger at 31.
Cody Bellinger vs. Kyle Tucker StatHead | StatHead Baseball
Quality Defense
The Yankees lost too many games to sloppy defense in 2025, and Tucker is the inferior outfielder. The Yankees are likely hanging onto Gold Glove-caliber defender Ryan McMahon at third base next season for the same reason; they need hustle and discipline.
Tucker posted -2 Outs Above Average in 2025, landing him in the 26th percentile among defenders, with a matching 26th percentile sprint speed (26.5 ft/s). Bellinger’s 7 OAA is in the 93rd percentile, and is a bit quicker at 28.2 ft/s, in the 72nd percentile.
The fact that Bellinger is cost-effective is a tertiary benefit to the reunion goal, at best. The Yankees can afford Tucker, and while it’s fun to get on Steinbrenner for weird payroll comments, the fact is that the Yankees spend. If anything, it’s the entitlement that comes with 27 championships that keeps players complacent.
Sep 3, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Cody Bellinger (35) makes a catch on a fly ball during the second inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
It’s why we fall apart against teams like the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays, who had a better mix of contact and slugging, and who didn’t keep saying “we’re the best team in baseball” when they lost.
Yankee fans are excited about the possibility of landing Tucker, and many prefer him to Bellinger as an offseason goal. There are plenty who see the upside of getting Bellinger back, but plenty who cite Bellinger’s advanced age and limited time left to live, as well as Tucker’s elite bat, as reasons they shouldn’t give Bellinger more time in the Bronx.
The Yankees had the second-highest combined fWAR in the MLB (behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers), and while Tucker will be an exciting addition wherever he goes, he’s just not the best fit for the Yankees’ current needs. The Yankees have the best offensive player in the MLB in Judge, and they hit the most home runs (274) and the most RBIs (820) as a team in 2025.
What the Yankees need is the elite defender with a more balanced bat and a year under his belt in Yankee Stadium. That’s why Tucker is the backup plan.