After weeks of silence in the preseason, the New York Yankees are beginning to show the reasons behind their apparent inactivity. It seems that general manager Brian Cashman has not been the main culprit for the delay, but rather the high financial demands of Cody Bellinger and his agent, Scott Boras.
According to journalist Bob Klapisch, Bellinger is looking for a contract worth between $36 million and $37 million a year, a figure that the organization considers excessive, although they recognize that there is some room for negotiation.
A valuable but costly free agent
Bellinger has established himself as one of the most attractive free agents on the market thanks to his combination of power, defense and versatility in several positions. For the Yankees, he would represent a key stabilizer in a lineup that left offensive doubts during the last season.
That valuation explains why his name has dominated much of the conversation during the offseason, even without concrete developments.
Numbers that support… to a point
During the 2025 season with New York, Bellinger hit .272, with a .334 on-base percentage, 29 home runs and 98 RBIs. His 5.1 WAR was one of the best productions by a Yankees outfielder in the last decade.
Those numbers justified the franchise putting an offer of more than $30 million a year on the table, but it was not enough to meet the final demands of the player and his entourage.
Uncomfortable comparisons
The problem for the Yankees is that Bellinger’s asking price puts him in a similar range to Kyle Tucker, considered by many to be the best free agent available, with projections of $37 million to $38 million per year. That comparison has cooled the market and explains why no team has taken a decisive step.
Meanwhile, attention in New York is starting to turn to options such as Bo Bichette, whose name continues to be linked to the organization.
The fans lose patience
The stagnation has changed the mood of fans, who now question whether the cost of Bellinger would compromise the team’s financial flexibility, especially with outstanding needs in the starting rotation and bullpen.
“If you’re going to pay that high, get Tucker or bring in Bichette”, commented one fan, reflecting an increasingly common opinion among the fan base.
Others point directly to Scott Boras, accusing him of inflating the market and slowing down deals, while some compare Bellinger’s asking salary to that of Aaron Judge, whose contract is around $40 million a year.
Patience turned into pressure
The $36-37 million demand has turned patience into pressure inside and outside Yankee Stadium. For many fans, Cashman’s silence is no longer indecision, but a firm stance in the face of numbers they consider disproportionate.
If the demands do not change, the feeling is clear: Cody Bellinger is no longer an automatic solution for the Yankees and has become a gamble that the franchise is not willing to force.
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