As the New York Yankees soon begin the process of trades and acquiring free agents, Cody Bellinger is buzzing around the Bronx. Cody practically grew up as a Yankee while his father, Clay Bellinger, won multiple World Series titles while playing during the NY Yankees 90’s dynasty. Cody could reignite a new dynasty in acquiring the New York Yankees. With the Yankees looking for a productive lefty bat and needing to become more athletic, Cody Bellinger fits the criteria. He will also be a much cheaper option than Juan Soto and, one could say, a born and bred Yankee.
Bellinger’s player ID
Cody Bellinger boasts an impressive resume with a World Series title, an MVP, and a rookie of the year award. He has been a force in the past, hitting 47 home runs in his MVP campaign, albeit in a juiced ball season. He has been a consistent producer when healthy but struggled from 2020-2022, which ultimately resulted in him being let go by the LA Dodgers. However, once he found his stride again, the old Belli showed up.
The largely believed reason why he struggled in his injury-riddled campaigns is because of swing compromising. Bellinger was not swinging in his natural motion due to lower body injuries. Since he has corrected his swing, Bellinger finished the 2023 season with a 307-batting average, 26 home runs, and 4.4 WAR. This was a monumental comeback season for the former MVP and one he will be looking to capitalize on in Free Agency.
Bellinger’s Free agent costs
The coming 2024 offseason will not feature as many marquee names as 2023 did. Except for Shohei Ohtani and Blake Snell, Cody Bellinger will be among the best free agents and most sought-after names. He boasts a great left-handed swing tailor-made for Yankee Stadium and is one of the best defensive centerfielders in baseball. Not to mention, he can play a solid first base, which is something the Yankees should consider with Anthony Rizzo’s age and condition. What could hamper the Yankee’s ability to pursue Bellinger is the scarcity of quality Free Agents. Most of the playoff 2024 hopefuls need a player of Bellinger’s talents and criteria. Many teams will pursue him, potentially setting off a bidding war for Bellinger.
The Yankees desperately need a player of his quality and makeup, but it would come at a potentially steep cost. That cost could be in the region of $25 million annual average tied to a seven-year deal, which calculates to a total of $175 million. The Yankees cannot miss on a player with the qualities they need, as it would be detrimental to the organization’s future. Yankee fans can remember what happened when the front office passed on Bryce Harper and Manny Machado; both became great players and more than likely, they would have made an enormous contribution to the current Yankee squad. Bellinger, growing up around the organization, could potentially be an even better fit than either Harper or Machado.
Conclusion
Signing Cody Bellinger will be a statement of intent from the Yankees. Signaling to their fans they know they must improve, be smart in their acquisitions, and be willing to pay a heavy price to do so. It will be a price well worth it and money well spent to create a potential future Yankee dynasty, something Cody knows all too well.
Main Photo Credits: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
