The Yankees are still haunted by how they lost Juan Soto to the Mets last year. The initial struggle in the offence, apart from having Aaron Judge, was well evident, but with names like Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham performing, the Yankees are on the way to going beyond the total runs scored last year. Reportedly, in 2024, they scored 815 runs and are currently standing with 770 runs this year. But what if the Yankees face the same Soto-like scene again this year?

Well, there’s no doubt that Aaron Judge is in hot form this year. Hitting 47 HRs at .327 reflects his MVP journey, but the Yankees’ offense is not about their captain only. The second best behind Judge is Bellinger. He’s hitting .278 and 28 HRs, and is projected to be the Bombers’ best bet in the postseason. But after this year? If the rumors are to be believed, the Yankees are again on the verge of losing their top performer: Cody Bellinger!

“Bellinger, who’ll earn $27.5 million this season, is a lock to get at least $33-$35 million per year in his next contract. Someone will pay. But will it be the Yankees? My crystal ball says no. They will let Bellinger walk.” NYYST podcast host Christian cites insider Joel Sherman.

Having a top performer in the team comes with its own challenges. Hence, Bellinger’s been so good this season, he’s almost certainly going to use his player option to hit free agency, where he’ll be looking for a much bigger deal. The problem for the Yankees is that his price keeps climbing. Sure, they’ve handed out massive contracts before, but this one might give them pause.

However, the chance for the Yankees is still not over. Even though Bellinger’s been great in his first year with the team, committing to another long, expensive contract could make the front office think twice. Cashman and Steinbrenner might just decide if it’s better to let someone else hand him that monster deal.

The Yankees are racing to land big names

It’s certainly not the case that the Yankees are not building up their lineup for the next year. Reportedly, they are rumored to have names like Kyle Tucker. But why not they then going for the talent at home?

Well, the Yankees might not feel as much pressure to hang on to Bellinger because of the younger outfield talent they’ve got coming up. Rather, they probably want to get more at-bats for Jasson Dominguez, could choose to keep Trent Grisham around instead, and might even be ready to bring up power-hitting prospect Spencer Jones.

On top of that, it seems like their real focus is on landing a superstar like Juan Soto. Hence, the focus is more on big names like Tucker over Bellinger.

Meanwhile, Kyle Tucker is shaping up to be the biggest free-agent prize in a few months, and every major contender is expected to go after him. The Yankees have had one of the league’s most dangerous lineups this year. But a letdown of a season that’s headed for a wild-card spot might push them to rethink things this winter. And when it comes to chasing a big-name star, you can never really rule the Yankees out. And that might not be Cody Bellinger.