{"id":523645,"date":"2026-01-16T15:35:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T15:35:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/523645\/"},"modified":"2026-01-16T15:35:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T15:35:15","slug":"kyle-tucker-signing-could-lead-to-a-mets-yankees-showdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/523645\/","title":{"rendered":"Kyle Tucker signing could lead to a Mets-Yankees showdown"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Another Brian Cashman\/Hal Steinbrenner vs. David Stearns\/Steve Cohen battle for a top free agent may be on tap.<\/p>\n<p>After Kyle Tucker spurned the Mets by going to the Dodgers <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/01\/15\/sports\/kyle-tucker-picks-dodgers-over-mets-blue-jays-in-free-agency-stunner\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">on a four-year, $240 million deal<\/a>, it could potentially lead to the Yankees and Mets battling for Cody Bellinger.<\/p>\n<p>The Yankees have made it clear that <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/01\/16\/sports\/how-yankees-sleepy-offseason-measures-up-vs-al-east-rivals\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bellinger is their priority this offseason<\/a>, while the Mets have shown interest in the talented outfielder\/first baseman.<\/p>\n<p>Having lost Pete Alonso to the Orioles and missed out on Tucker, it\u2019s possible the Mets could turn their attention to Bellinger since there are really only two impact bats left in free agency in Bellinger and Bo Bichette.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/01\/13\/sports\/bo-bichettes-phillies-meeting-with-went-very-well-as-yankees-lurk\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">With rumors linking the Phillies to Bichette<\/a> and the Mets already having a shortstop and second baseman, it likely leaves Bellinger as their best option.<\/p>\n<p>Bellinger, 30, has yet to sign since he\u2019s in a standoff with the Yankees about contract length.<\/p>\n<p>He and agent Scott Boras are seeking a seven-year pact, while The Post reported that the Yankees have offered $155 million over five years for a $31 million annual average value (AAV).<\/p>\n<p><img style=\"aspect-ratio:1.49926794;display:block\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" data-modal-image=\"38200341\" width=\"885\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/35-new-york-yankees-reacts-107323485.jpg\" alt=\"Cody Bellinger reacts after flying out in the sixth inning against the Athletics.\" class=\"wp-image-38200341\"  \/>Cody Bellinger stands to benefit after Kyle Tucker\u2019s decision. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST<\/p>\n<p>The Yankees <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/01\/15\/sports\/yankees-willing-to-add-multiple-opt-outs-in-their-cody-bellinger-pursuit\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">have added two opt-outs to their offer<\/a> in an attempt to make it more appealing.<\/p>\n<p>That Bellinger hasn\u2019t signed elsewhere is an indication that no other team has swooped in to top the Yankees\u2019 offer and perhaps the Mets could choose to do so now.<\/p>\n<p>The Mets\u2019 four-year, $220 million offer showed they have plenty more to spend this offseason, although they may view Tucker and Bellinger on different levels.<\/p>\n<p><img style=\"aspect-ratio:1.49926794;display:block\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-modal-image=\"38200345\" width=\"885\" height=\"590\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/new-york-mets-owner-steve-98743409.jpg\" alt=\"New York Mets owner Steve Cohen looking on at Spring Training.\" class=\"wp-image-38200345\"  \/>Steve Cohen missed out on Kyle Tucker. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST<\/p>\n<p>Bellinger would fit the Mets\u2019 roster well since he can play the outfield and first base, which provides value after Brandon Nimmo and Alonso exited this offseason.<\/p>\n<p>With the Mets, Yankees and Blue Jays all in the market for another bat, the reality is that at least one of those teams will miss out on Bellinger and Bicehtte and be left scrambling.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>There are quality hitters available in trades, such as the Cardinals\u2019 Brendan Donovan, but that would cost prospect capital instead of strict dollars.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Another Brian Cashman\/Hal Steinbrenner vs. David Stearns\/Steve Cohen battle for a top free agent may be on tap.&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":523646,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2396],"tags":[5,1365,57,101,4,2046,37650,1690,61,62,2548,4203,185,70],"class_list":{"0":"post-523645","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-mets","8":"tag-baseball","9":"tag-cody-bellinger","10":"tag-los-angeles-dodgers","11":"tag-mets","12":"tag-mlb","13":"tag-mlb-free-agency","14":"tag-mlb-hot-stove","15":"tag-new-york","16":"tag-new-york-mets","17":"tag-new-york-yankees","18":"tag-newyork","19":"tag-newyorkmets","20":"tag-sports","21":"tag-toronto-blue-jays"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/115905517674954847","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/523645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=523645"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/523645\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/523646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=523645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=523645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=523645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}