NEW YORK — Asked to evaluate his experience with the Yankees at the end of last season, Cody Bellinger looked around the local clubhouse. His eyes lingered in the direction of Aaron Judge’s locker, which led to a confession: He would “definitely” love to come back.
“It was an incredible experience putting on this uniform,” Bellinger said at the time. “Yankee Stadium, the fans, the organization, the culture that these guys have created in this locker room… it really is special. It’s a very fun group.”
And now he will continue to be part of that group. Bellinger and the Yankees reached an agreement on Wednesday for five years and $162.5 million, as reported by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, thus keeping on the roster a player that general manager Brian Cashman had identified as one of his main targets during the winter.
As part of the contract, Bellinger will also receive a $20 million signing bonus and a full no-trade clause. The deal, which has not yet been confirmed by the club and is subject to a physical, includes exit clauses after the 2027 and 2028 seasons, with no deferred payments.
For months, both Cashman and other members of the organization expressed their intention to continue a relationship that seemed to fit from day one. Because of his athleticism, personality and versatility, Bellinger became one of manager Aaron Boone’s favorites.
“He was a huge impact player for us last year, and we would love to have him back if the opportunity arises,” Cashman said during the Winter Meetings.
However, negotiations progressed slowly. His agent, Scott Boras, hinted in December that as many as eight teams had shown interest in Bellinger, 30, who earned $27.5 million last season, in which he hit .272/.334/.480 with 25 doubles, 29 home runs, 98 RBIs and 13 stolen bases in 152 games.
The Cubs covered $2.5 million of that salary after sending him to New York in December 2024 as part of a move to free up payroll. With a 5.1 WAR, Bellinger’s 2025 campaign was his best since 2019, when he was named NL MVP with the Dodgers (8.7 WAR).
The Yankees reportedly made at least two overtures to Bellinger, compromising on opt-out clauses and a signing bonus, but refusing to go beyond the five-year contract.
Although Bellinger was looking for a seven-year deal and became the most coveted free agent hitter after the signings of Kyle Tucker (Dodgers) and Bo Bichette (Mets), he finally agreed to a five-year contract.
Thus, Bellinger returns to a Yankees outfield that projects to include Judge, the current American League Most Valuable Player, in right field, and Trent Grisham in center. Bellinger could also see action at first base, alternating with Ben Rice, although both are left-handed hitters.
With Bellinger back, the Yankees could explore trade opportunities involving Jasson Dominguez or Spencer Jones (the club’s fourth-best prospect according to MLB Pipeline), who were set to compete for the starting job in left field.
Dominguez’s status as a high-profile prospect has yet to translate into elite production in the majors. The 22-year-old “Marciano” has hit .248/.327/.397 (OPS+ of 103) in 149 games. Jones, for his part, hit 35 home runs with a .932 OPS last year in the Minor Leagues, and Cashman admitted that in other organizations he probably would have been promoted to the big team by now.
“If there’s ever a situation where you have too many good players for too few available spots, you figure it out,” Boone said in December. “You find a way, and then competition plays a big role; those things tend to take care of themselves.”
