The number keeps lingering: 4.9 fWAR.
That was Cody Bellinger’s 2025 contribution to the New York Yankees, a season that quietly recalibrated how the organization viewed its lineup and its outfield future. Bellinger did not just fit. He stabilized things. And now the Yankees are trying to decide how much certainty they are willing to buy back.
The Bellinger Gap That Won’t Close
Bellinger’s return has never felt like a matter of desire. The Yankees want him back, full stop. The problem is structure, not sentiment.
The former MVP, represented by Scott Boras, is seeking a six- or seven-year deal, a bet on sustained athleticism and continued offensive relevance. New York, wary of length and long-term payroll rigidity, has countered with proposals that stop short of that commitment. Multiple offers have been exchanged. None have bridged the gap.
That gap has become the story. Not hostility. Not disinterest. Just distance.
Bellinger, meanwhile, has options. The Cubs and Dodgers remain involved, familiar landing spots that can sell both nostalgia and flexibility. Jon Heyman reported that while a return to the Bronx remains possible, the lack of progress has reopened doors for everyone involved. For the Yankees, that means contingency plans are no longer theoretical.
Why the Yankees Are Looking Elsewhere
At some point, patience becomes leverage. Or exhaustion.
The Yankees have dealt with Boras negotiations for decades, and history suggests they rarely blink first. As talks with Bellinger crawl forward, the front office has begun to look more seriously at another star name that could reshape the lineup in a very different way: Bo Bichette.
Heyman noted that the Yankees contacted Bichette early in the winter, even if his name stayed mostly out of public discussion until recently. That silence mattered. It suggests intent, not curiosity. The Yankees are not window shopping. They are preparing for alternatives.
Bo Bichette and the Roster Puzzle
Bichette is not a clean replacement for Bellinger. He is an infielder, not an outfielder, and fitting him into the Yankees’ roster would require creativity.
One path involves Jazz Chisholm Jr. Either a trade, or a move to center field, clearing second base for Bichette. Neither option is trivial. Both carry risk. But the Yankees have already shown a willingness to shuffle defensive alignments in pursuit of offensive upside.
If Bichette plays to his ceiling, the math works.
In 2025, he hit 18 home runs, posted a 134 wRC+, drove in 94 runs, and finished with 3.8 fWAR for the Toronto Blue Jays. After a down 2024, it was a reminder that his bat still plays at an All-Star level. The Yankees value that kind of rebound profile, especially one entering his prime years.
Two Stars, Two Philosophies
The contrast here is telling.
Bellinger offers positional flexibility, outfield defense, and left-handed balance. He fits what the Yankees already built in 2025. Bichette offers offensive punch, contact skills, and infield stability, but forces structural change.
One is continuity. The other is adaptation.
The Yankees are weighing both, not because they want to move on from Bellinger, but because they refuse to be cornered by a negotiation that refuses to budge. This is leverage by preparation, not desperation.
And yet, the question lingers. How long will New York wait before preparation turns into action?
The answer will determine whether the Yankees double down on what worked or pivot toward something bolder, riskier, and potentially just as impactful.