The New York Yankees’ offseason strategy will largely hinge on the decision of outfielder Juan Soto. No matter where the 26-year-old ends up, general manager Brian Cashman has plenty of offseason tasks to address. One of those could involve pursuing a trade for outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger.
The two-time Silver Slugger winner has spent the last two seasons with the Chicago Cubs, where he re-signed to a three-year, $80 million contract after initially signing a one-year deal for 2023. The deal includes opt-out clauses after the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
This year, Bellinger hit .266/.325/.426 with 18 home runs, 23 doubles, 78 RBI, and 72 runs in 569 plate appearances. Despite being able to opt out, Bellinger chose to stay with the Cubs for 2024 unless they trade him, as noted by president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer.
According to the New York Post’s Joel Sherman, Bellinger could be an ideal trade target for the Yankees, given their current roster needs. Even if Cashman successfully acquires Soto for the long term, the Yankees could still use depth at both the outfield and first base positions—two spots Bellinger has regularly played.
While Bellinger has primarily played center field, bringing him to the Bronx could allow Aaron Judge to shift to a corner outfield position. If the outfield is already set, Bellinger could step in at first base, especially with the Yankees having declined Anthony Rizzo’s 2025 option.
Bellinger has been linked to the Yankees in trade rumors before, including ahead of both the 2023 and 2024 deadlines. Before the Yankees traded for Soto, Bellinger was also a prime free-agent target. The question now is whether the Cubs will be willing to part with him, or if Bellinger will remain in Chicago for the foreseeable future.
