Every off-season, the New York Yankees are linked to the game’s biggest and brightest free agents/trade prospects, which is why the hot stove is always such a fun time of year. General manager Brian Cashman always does his homework in the free agent market and considers all options, even if they don’t appear likely.
This time, the trade market is focusing on Juan Soto, but outfielder Cody Bellinger has emerged as a potential fit for a team in desperate need of offensive support.
Bellinger is coming off an outstanding season with the Chicago Cubs, but there are some concerns about his power hitting, which fell to an all-time low in 2023 despite his incredible metrics. The 28-year-old hit.307 with a.356 on-base percentage,.525 slugging percentage, 26 home runs, 97 RBIs, and a 134 wRC+.
This was his best season since 2019, which is concerning given his lack of consistency. Bellinger is expected to earn somewhere in the $200 million range, and the Yankees may be taking a significant risk by giving him a contract of that magnitude after only one productive season in his previous four.
He also had a career-low 31.4% hard-hit rate, a 6.1% barrel rate, and an 87.9 average exit velocity. His power has declined significantly, and the Yankees must be cautious about investing heavily in a player who may have gotten exceptionally lucky given some of his metrics do not match up with his production.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, teams must determine whether Bellinger is a risk, but the Yankees may have to take a few risks to improve an offense that ranked sixth in the league in runs scored last year.
Yankees Only Have so Much Money to Spend
The problem is that if the Yankees sign Bellinger to a large contract, their chances of signing Juan Soto, who is expected to earn $30 million in arbitration, will be significantly reduced. Soto is the obvious choice, as he has been outstanding every season and has appeared in at least 150 games for three years in a row. Furthermore, he is three years younger than Bellinger but has some of the worst defense in the game — his offensive ability easily compensates for any fielding deficiencies.
Bellinger would be a good supplemental option right now if the Padres decide to keep Soto for his final year of control. Given that the Padres took out a $50 million loan to cover their payroll in September, many believe they will be forced to offload a significant amount of salary. Soto is expected to earn a lot of money, and the Padres may have to pair him with another contract just to keep him out of financial trouble.
There are always risks and concerns with free agents, even if they are not visible. Carlos Rodon is a prime example of this, but the Bombers can’t afford to miss out on this offseason and not significantly improve their batting order, even if they have a lot of faith in some of their rising prospects.
Last offseason, owner Hal Steinbrenner promised Aaron Judge that he would continue to build around him, so it is safe to assume the Yankees will spend big on at least one acquisition, but the truth is that they need a new starting pitcher and a premium outfielder.
In an ideal world, the Bombers would sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Soto in the same offseason, drastically improving their chances of making the playoffs.
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