Cody Bellinger’s free agency saga has finally come to a close.
Bellinger has agreed to a contract with the New York Yankees, allowing him to remain with the team with whom he had success last season. ESPN’s Jeff Passan says Bellinger is getting a 5-year, $162.5 million deal that includes a $20 million signing bonus.
Bellinger will have the right to terminate his contract after both the second and third years of the deal. He also will have a full no-trade clause, meaning the Yankees will be unable to trade him without his approval.
Bellinger, 30, will now be under contract with the Yankees through his Age 34 season. He began his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and won NL Rookie of the Year in 2019, as well as NL MVP in 2021.
Bellinger batted .272 with 29 home runs, 98 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases over 152 total games for the Yankees last season — his first with the team. Prior to that, he spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Chicago Cubs.
Bellinger’s batting averages had taken a big dip during his later years with the Dodgers. He batted .165 in a putrid 2021 season while dealing with injuries. The following season, he batted .210.
Bellinger has turned things around since then, batting .307, .266 and .272 over the past three seasons.
Yankees fans may be looking at the Kyle Tucker deal and feeling like they got a steal with Bellinger’s contract.
