The winds seem to be blowing in the direction of a Cody Bellinger return to the Yankees, but that’s not exactly set in stone yet.
With that said, I’ve constructed an offseason plan around Kyle Tucker, and it’s time to construct an offseason plan with Bellinger’s return as I originally planned to.
Now that there’s some clarity on the market with who did or did not receive Qualifying Offers, there’s a plan I’ve put in place that keeps the offseason spending under $60 million towards the Luxury Tax for 2026.
If the team doesn’t acquire Tucker, they’ll need to take a page out of last offseason’s playbook in addressing the offense, bullpen, and rotation, and that’s exactly what I do here.
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Cody Bellinger Signs a Six-Year $150 Million Contract With the Yankees
As the title suggests, the Yankees would bring Cody Bellinger back on a free agent deal that’ll make him one of the highest-paid players of this class.
There are reasons to believe that he’ll provide value for the majority of his contract, his Sprint Speed has remained mostly stagnant since 2021, and there aren’t indications of that regressing sharply in 2026.
His defense in center field is average, and in left field, it’s elite, and offensively, he fits Yankee Stadium well because he pulls a ton of his flyballs to right field.
I expect Bellinger to post a 115-120 OPS+ in 2026, making him a good-not-great hitter who accumulates more WAR value through his glove and strong baserunning.
On a six-year deal, the Yankees will see Bellinger’s contract end after his age 35-36 season, with that being the usual age range of a complete fall-off in bat speed.
Having the versatility to play first base and all three outfield spots means he could end up playing right field down the line or moving back to the infiel,d depending on how he ages.
Personally, I view him as a 3.5-4.0 WAR player for 2026, with the hope being that he can be closer to a solid defensive centerfielder so he can move to left field (or right field) in two years when Giancarlo Stanton’s contract is up.
Making a Blockbuster With the Guardians For Steven Kwan
The Yankees might not seem like a team that would fit Steven Kwan’s swing because of how little grass there is to find between first base and right field, but I think he’d be an awesome fit on this roster.
An elite defensive left fielder, Kwan has been one of the safest bets in the game to contribute positive value, recording at least 3 WAR on FanGraphs in each of his four big-league seasons.
Furthermore, his bat fits Yankee Stadium well because he’s already hitting at a ballpark that suppresses left-handed batting average like the Bronx does, but it doesn’t have the massive power advantage of the short porch.
Kwan would have hit two additional home runs if his home games were played at Yankee Stadium instead of Progressive Field, which would have given him five additional bases on the year and a wRC+ above 100.
A wrist injury during the season hurt his production in the second half, but projections believe in a rebound and I do as well, with a 112 projected wRC+ on Steamer.
Cleveland needs an outfielder to replace Steven Kwan, a Major League starting pitcher, and a pitching prospect, and in this deal, they would get Jasson Dominguez, Will Warren, and Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz.
The main piece of this deal is Warren, who would have led all Guardians’ starters in fWAR this past season (2.1) and has five years left on his rookie deal.
Dominguez is a cheap left field option, while Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz is a near-MLB-ready pitching prospect who could further improve their staff in 2026.
The Yankees Finally Make a Splash in the Japanese Market
Coming over from the Seibu Lions, I expect an aggressive market for Tastuya Imai’s services, who could slide into a team’s rotation as either a no. 2 or no. 3 starter.
He sports a funky delivery, having a 5’0 release height, which is comparable to pitchers such as Bryan Woo and Logan Webb, and his stuff is enticing.
The right-hander has a four-seamer that reaches 99 MPH, sitting around 95 MPH with a deadzone shape that remains effective because of his low release height.
What highlights his repertoire are his secondary pitches: an elite splitter, an interesting ‘sinker’ that’s more of a changeup, and a slider that has arm-side movement, not glove-side movement.
Having a curveball ties this mix together, and if he can add a firm sinker with depth, it gives him a six-pitch mix from that funky release point that can rip through a lineup.
Signing him to a seven-year $154 million deal does two things for the Yankees: it gives them a starter who can take the ball in a playoff setting, and it also gives them a stake in a Japanese market they’ve been desperate to jump into.
Masahiro Tanaka is the last NPB star they’ve signed; that was nearly 13 years ago, and this could be both profitable for ownership and, more importantly, a move that makes this roster better.
Bringing In a Power Arm For the Backend of the Yankees’ Bullpen
The Rockies have a new President of Baseball Operations, and I think they’ll be more open to trading away pieces to replenish their farm system as a result.
Victor Vodnik has had an above-average ERA in each of the last two seasons, and I believe with the Yankees, he could get even better, as his fastball with elite velocity would have more ride.
He possesses an elite changeup to go with his fastball and a slider with tons of depth as well. This three-pitch mix would make him a disgusting weapon at the backend of the Yankees’ bullpen on a pre-arbitration salary.
Offering OF Dillon Lewis and RHP Cade Smith gives the Rockies two top-30 prospects for the right-hander; they make a big improvement to the bullpen without seriously impacting payroll.
Bellinger ($25 M), Imai ($22 M), and Kwan ($8.8 M) equal $55.8 million in Luxury Tax payroll, which puts them around $310 million in the Luxury Tax for 2026.