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The Yankees are focused on trying to re-sign Juan Soto this winter. If they fail, will they pursue Cody Bellinger again?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The\u00a0New York Yankees\u2019 offseason will hinge on what\u00a0outfielder Juan Soto decides to do. If the Bombers are unsuccessful in re-signing the left-handed slugger,\u00a02019 National League MVP Award\u00a0winner Cody Bellinger could be a potential backup plan.<\/p>\n
Jon Heyman of the New York Post discussed\u00a0\u201cPlan B\u201d options for the Yankees during an October 30 Bleacher Report live stream. He named several players as alternatives if Soto signs elsewhere. While\u00a0New York Mets\u00a0first baseman Pete Alonso was the first player mentioned, Bellinger was right behind him. Heyman thinks the\u00a0two-time Silver Slugger Award\u00a0winner \u201cfits better\u201d into the Yankees\u2019 lineup if he opts out of his\u00a0three-year, $80 million deal\u00a0with the\u00a0Chicago Cubs.<\/p>\n
Bellinger hit .266\/.325\/.426 with 18 home runs, 23 doubles, 78 RBI and 72 runs scored through 569 plate appearances this past season.\u00a0Spotrac pegs his market value at four years and $96 million.<\/p>\n
The Yankees Have Pursued Cody Bellinger in the Past<\/h2>\n
Something that\u2019s been talked about for at least the last two years is a potential pairing between Bellinger and the Yankees.<\/p>\n
The outfielder\/first baseman has been the subject of trade rumors at various times throughout his tenure with the Cubs. New York was linked to him in\u00a02023\u00a0and\u00a02024 before the midseason trade deadline passed.<\/p>\n
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Before Soto was acquired\u00a0from the\u00a0San Diego Padres\u00a0last December, the Yankees were viewed as a\u00a0possible landing spot\u00a0for Bellinger in free agency. He still made sense after that acquisition, but fitting him into the lineup wasn\u2019t nearly as natural based on how the roster was constructed.<\/p>\n
Cody Bellinger\u2019s Defensive Versatility Would Be Huge for the Yankees<\/h2>\n
Bellinger has been consistently viewed as a solid fit in the Bronx because his skill set fits perfectly into what the club needs. He\u2019s amassed at least 1,000 career innings at three positions: center field, first base and right field. Center field (4,015 innings) and first base (2,481.1 innings) have been his two most common positions.<\/p>\n
Those just so happen to be positions he could fill seamlessly for the Bombers. Anthony Rizzo has been New York\u2019s primary first baseman since the middle of the 2021 season. However, his\u00a0current two-year deal\u00a0concludes at the end of 2024. He has a club option for 2025, but the Yankees\u00a0are expected to decline it. If this happens, Bellinger could fill the hole at that spot on the diamond.<\/p>\n
But what if New York finds someone else to be\u00a0its primary first baseman? Well, Bellinger could take over center field, allowing Aaron Judge to\u00a0move back to a corner outfield spot\u00a0so he can more easily preserve his body as he enters his mid-30s.<\/p>\n
If Bellinger opts for free agency and the Yankees can\u2019t reel in Soto, these two will likely be connected in the rumor mill once again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Yankees are focused on trying to re-sign Juan Soto this winter. If they fail, will they pursue Cody Bellinger again? The\u00a0New York Yankees\u2019 offseason will hinge… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4118,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4117","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n
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