The New York Yankees acquired Cody Bellinger last offseason, and he was a huge part of their success. He played well enough to opt out of his deal in search of a more lucrative contract.

The Yankees are reportedly trying hard to keep him in the Bronx, but he will not be cheap. The Yankees have spending power, but also have other needs. With Scott Boras representing him, Bellinger is going to take a lot of money to re-sign. Many contenders will be trying to land him, which is already bad news for the Yankees.

The more teams the Yankees have to outbid, the more Bellinger could cost them. While teams like the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers have been linked to him, a new, surprising team has entered the fold. According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Los Angeles Angels have checked in on Bellinger.

At this time of year, there is plenty of misdirection and smoke from agents to try and get their players the best possible deal. However, the Angels are a team that may make sense for Bellinger. Realistically, only big market teams will have a chance, and the Angels also need help in the outfield.

Bellinger is a versatile player and had a great year for the Yankees. It’s no surprise they want him back after he slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs. However, the path to keeping him at this point looks like a very expensive bidding war.

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