Cody Bellinger latest: Does a stalemate help, hurt Yankees?

Cody Bellinger is right next to Kyle Tucker, hoping to get a long-term, big-money deal in free agency. But that has not happened yet.

While the New York Yankees have reportedly sent two different offers to the 30-year-old outfielder and his agent, Scott Boras, over the last week, Jack Curry of YES Network maintains that there is still a significant “gap” between the two parties.

It appears to be boiling down to length. The Yankees are not budging from five years, and Bellinger is looking for something longer — something in the six or seven-year range. A year or two might not seem like much, but there is a significant difference in paying a 35-year-old $30 million or even more per year compared to a 37-year-old.

So, chalk this up as another free-agent stand-off, for now. But who does this benefit?

The Yankees could have some power at the negotiating table, considering that Bellinger is still available. His market is either not as robust as Boras previously mentioned, or interested suitors are just as hesitant as the Yankees to go beyond five years.

But Bellinger also has enough ammo to be immovable here. While the Yankees continue to shop Jazz Chisholm Jr., who hit 31 home runs and posted an .813 OPS in 2025, Bellinger was by far their second-best bat behind reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge. If the Bronx Bombers can’t meet his demands, he’ll hold out in hopes of a moment of clarity from general manager Brian Cashman. If they don’t sign, say, Bo Bichette, the offense gets significantly worse if Bellinger walks.

Of course, that is all circumstantial. A teeming market would force the Yankees’ hand in upping their offer, especially because they made it known that re-signing the 2019 NL MVP was their top priority this winter.

The crosstown-rival Mets remain linked to Bellinger, as they could use him as a left fielder to replace Brandon Nimmo or even as an insurance policy at first base if the Jorge Polanco experiment fails. On Sunday, it was reported that the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants remain engaged, as well.

That makes four teams that have shown an affinity for doling out big money in recent years to land top free agents, and that provides considerable competition for the Yankees, who have been less inclined to open their checkbook.

For more on Cody Bellinger and the Yankees, visit AMNY.com