According to a report from ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger is planning on declining his $25 million player option for 2026. It is not a surprising move for the 30-year-old, who just finished his first season in the Bronx with an OPS of .813 and 29 home runs, adding excellent defense from all three outfield positions.
Report: Cody Bellinger Plans to Opt Out of Contract with Yankees
2025 was definitely a bounce-back year for Bellinger, having hit for an average of 17 homers and a .731 OPS from 2020 to 2024 after winning the NL MVP in 2019 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The former Dodger and Chicago Cub also showcased his outstanding skills and versatility in the outfield this past season, tying for 18th place amongst MLB outfielders in outs above average (OAA) with 7.
Cody Bellinger plans to opt out of his contract and become a free agent this winter, per @jorgecastillo
Following the Yankees’ ALDS loss, Bellinger said he’d “absolutely” welcome the opportunity to return to the Bronx pic.twitter.com/95KpM3e1sR
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 10, 2025
Desire to Stay
Now, he’ll likely test the waters of free agency after proving his worth with the Yankees. However, he did state his desire to return to the Bronx following the Yankees’ season-ending 5-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday. “I had an unbelievable time putting on this uniform,” Bellinger said. “Yankee Stadium, the fans, the organization, the culture that these guys have created in this locker room. It’s special.”
As for whether or not the Yankees are on the same page, the answer is less certain. Though Bellinger was a great fit in pinstripes and would be well worth a long-term deal, the Yankees’ front office may have another vision in mind for the outfield next season. Bellinger’s teammate, Trent Grisham, is also hitting free agency this winter, and the Yankees also have two young outfielders who could be ready for starting roles very soon in Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones. So, they may try to save money by putting their faith in their young guys, but they could also be eyeing an external replacement for Bellinger.
Too Early to Tell
It is a bit pointless at this stage to assert whether or not the Yankees will want to bring Bellinger back after his opt out, because they will make their stance well-known once the bidding game begins. They could allow Bellinger to be their Juan Soto of this offseason and aim to be better without him, or they could commit a large deal to a reliable veteran who has proven his worth as a multifaceted weapon time and time again.
Main Photo Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
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