Cody Bellinger has once again grabbed the headlines after declining the $25 million player option with the New York Yankees. He has entered free agency for the 2026 season, and this move has sparked a plethora of questions—where will the former Dodgers star end up next? And to be honest, the interest is real because- there was a time he was touted as the next Aaron Judge or Stanton. His journey from 2017 Rookie of the Year to 2019 National League MVP cemented him as one of the league’s best and most feared.

Sure, his recent years with the Cubs and New York haven’t been the same—he is still far from washed up. The Yankees hence now face a crucial decision. While several pieces on their roster hit free agency, such as Trent Grisham and Paul Goldschmidt, they must decide whether to re-sign a veteran or pursue fresh talent.

The Yankees got Bellinger via a trade last year, and he gave the team great production against left-handed pitching and defensive versatility. Athletic’s Brendan Kuty said that “keeping him should be the Yankees’ first priority.”

Phillip Martienz of SNY added more context on Bellinger, saying, “While the postseason numbers weren’t great, given another shot, Bellinger will likely deliver.” And well, where is the lie? His 2025 season shows why teams are so interested. He hit .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI. He was also the Yankees’ most clutch hitter, batting. 348 with runners in scoring position, and his defense in left field was phenomenal.

Plus, with Judge and his elbow issues and Grisham and free agency, the Yankees need all the defensive capability they can. But it comes at a steep price, and Locked on Yankees put a figure: “He can wind up getting over $200 million. He’s still a legit defender. He could play multiple positions and four positions. Yeah, I think there’s a world where there’s a world there’s a world where he signs for seven years, 210. That’s 30 million a year… And honestly, if I’m the Yankees, I’d live with that. I think he’s worth it. And I think his game translates, too. Again, he’s got this power velocity. If he is a contact player who doesn’t strike out a lot, that translates to older age. It just does. Yeah. And it’s better for the Yankees.”

The Yankees must weigh the weight of $30 million a year or the development of the young outfielders like Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones. Sure, the postseason struggles of 6 for 31 with just a single homer do cast a dark cloud—but when Cody Bellinger is at his best, he can save the team.

New York Yankees’ young talent is a hot trade chip

The New York Yankees’ hopes for a championship that season came to a sad halt after that brutal stretch with the Toronto Blue Jays. If you think that their loss at the World Series was brutal, watching the Jay Boys take over the pinstripes was brutal. Now the Yankees will watch the championship battle from home, but they have a task at hand—they need to regroup, rethink, and start making moves to ensure the next season doesn’t end up like this.

Several names could be on the move apart from Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham, like Luke Weaver and Devin Williams. But it’s not the established stars that are suddenly drawing eyes from other teams; the Yankees also have young talent, and one player is suddenly a hot trade chip—Ben Rice. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported, “Ben Rice has been the most popular Yankee in trade talks. Teams have been asking about him regularly, but the Yankees are understandably extremely reluctant to deal him.”

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And it does make sense. Ben Rice is fresh off a breakout season and is now a cornerstone for the Yankees’ infield. He slashed .255/.337/.499 with 26 home runs in his sophomore MLB campaign, and he is super versatile to play catcher. Though the team prefers Austin Wells behind the plate, given Goldschmidt is likely to head elsewhere, Rice could be next in line for everyday first baseman duties. But if a team is willing to trade for something better, the Yankees could entertain the idea of selling high on one of their most prized possessions.

The WS is not over, but the off-season talks are already getting spicy!