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The New York Yankees rumors are heating up in MLB free agency.
It has not been a splashy start to the offseason for the New York Yankees, but there are still plenty of stars available in MLB free agency. With Cody Bellinger’s future in doubt, the Yankees may need to plan for alternative options in order to bolster the team’s roster.
CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa is attempting to east the anxiety of Yankees fans by laying out potential moves the club can still make this offseason. The analyst floated Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette as a possible option for the Yankees if the franchise wanted to pivot away from Anthony Volpe.
“New York’s No. 1 offseason target is Bellinger and he’s still out there,” Axisa wrote in a December 17, 2025, story titled, “What’s behind the Yankees’ slow offseason? Five explanations for the Bombers’ quiet winter (so far).” “If they want to pivot to Tucker, the Yankees can do that. Imai’s 45-day posting window doesn’t close for another two weeks.
“(Michael) King is unsigned. Plenty of lower-priced relievers are available. And heck, if the Yankees decide to move on from Volpe entirely and sign Bo Bichette, they can do that too. He’s still a free agent.”
Let’s dive into the latest Yankees rumors.
Blue Jays SS Bo Bichette Is Projected to Land an 8-Year, $186 Million Contract
Like the Yankees, the Blue Jays also face decisions about the future of several top players, including Bichette. The Toronto star was previously on a three-year, $33.6 million contract.
Bichette is likely headed for a massive raise in the coming weeks. Spotrac projects Bichette’s market value to be an eight-year, $186.4 million contract.
Yankees Rumors: Aaron Judge Pushing for New York to Re-Sign Cody Bellinger, Says Insider
The Yankees offseason appears to be in a bit of a holding pattern until Bellinger makes a decision. Aaron Judge’s preference would be for the Yankees to re-sign Bellinger, per New York Post’s Jon Heyman.
“Kyle Tucker is the No. 1 free agent, but Bellinger’s versatility works better for the New York teams. (His price tag is lower, too.),” Heyman wrote in a December 25, story titled, “What Yankees think of chances of losing Cody Bellinger to Mets.”
“The Yankees have made him their priority and seem pretty confident that, unlike superstar Juan Soto, he won’t skip to Queens. Aaron Judge is said to be a big advocate for re-signing Bellinger.”
Manager Aaron Boone on Yankees Roster: ‘It’s Probably Not Finished’
Despite the slow start, the Yankees offseason is likely far from completion. Manager Aaron Boone indicated that more moves are expected as the Yankees push to contend in 2026.
“I know we have a really good team right now,” Boone explained on December 20, per SNY.TV. “We have a lot of really good players on our roster — it’s probably not finished, there will be some tweaks up until spring training.
“It takes more than just us to tango. It takes other clubs, obviously free agents and the opportunities they have in front of them — however it lands, my expectation is we’re going to be really good and that’s how we’ll prepare.”
Jonathan Adams is a veteran sports contributor covering the NFL, NBA and golf for Heavy.com. His work has been prominently featured on NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated. More about Jonathan Adams
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