Despite his next contract being at a standstill, Cody Bellinger’s performance might be an obstacle to a younger talent. Meanwhile, one of Belli’s teammates’ reactions to a 2-day-old Instagram post is increasing the tension among the Bronx Bombers.

Cody Bellinger has been facing criticism for stalling the development of Jasson Dominguez, as analyzed by Jim Riley on his YouTube channel.

“Obviously [Cody Bellinger] makes that team better. But what he also does is he slows the development of Jasson Dominguez, right? This guy was supposed to be a super duper star, but the way things have played out, if Cody Bellinger comes back, Jasson Dominguez is going to be looking for playing time and maybe even finds himself as trade bait, as Jeff Pasan and ESPN article alluded to about a month or so ago,” Riley explained.

The New York Yankees’ use of Cody Bellinger has affected the performance of Jasson Dominguez.

Both Bellinger and Dominguez are outfielders. However, since Bellinger is a veteran and an expert at first base and all three outfield positions, along with being a good hitter, the team has relied on him more. His high leaping catch against the wall to prevent David Fry from getting an extra base hit during a game against the Cleveland Guardians in June showed how useful he had been to the team last season.

Such a performance did not allow the 22-year-old to see much action, barring him from acquiring the required experience for the big leagues. Signing Belli back to the team implies an overcrowded outfield, along with Aaron Judge and Trent Grisham. This can reduce Dominguez’s starts in left field, as seen last season, when he led the team in just 93 games.

He even struggled against left-handed pitching in 2025. He was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts against Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox in June. However, that is not the only area of concern for Dominguez.

Jasson struggled defensively, too.

A major example of this was the Opening Weekend series when he misjudged a looping line drive against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Now, if the Yankees decide to re-sign Cody Bellinger, Jasson Dominguez might suffer from more limited playing time or get traded to another team (possibly the Milwaukee Brewers) due to his struggles. But according to hints and reports, Belli may not come back.

The New York Yankees’ final offer to him was a 5-year, $160 million deal with two opt-outs. The team is reportedly not ready to negotiate anymore. The New York Mets can fit the bill here.

The Mets may use Bellinger by rotating him with Jorge Polanco at first base or with Brett Baty at third base. Plus, his left-handed skills can protect Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, and Bo Bichette, as well.

Keeping all that in mind, even Austin Wells seems to be feeling the departure is near!

Wells reacted with a lone crying emoji to Belli’s latest Instagram post. Fans instantly started speculating that Wells is aware of his teammate leaving.

These two share an impeccable dynamic, given that Wells is a catcher and Bellinger is an outfielder. The way Cody Bellinger positioned himself to make the clutch throw in the Yankees’ 3-1 win against the Blue Jays last September made their understanding evident.

Even Wells himself acknowledged that Bellinger “gave me a good chance to make a tag.”

Now, as we wait for Cody’s final call, Jasson Dominguez already has a team in line.

Jasson Dominguez’s future in the MLB

The New York Yankees are projected to trade one of two players in exchange for Freddy Peralta, with Jasson Dominguez being one of them.

Most of the Yanks’ significant pitchers, like Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt, are still injured. So, they may rely on Peralta being a starting pitcher.

Now, according to reports from Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, the Brewers are interested in Jasson Dominguez alongside a major-league-ready starter like Luis Gil or Will Warren.

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Jasson Dominguez might fit into the Milwaukee Brewers’ outfield if he gets traded. Given the fact that he can play left field, Milwaukee might use him in rotation with Brandon Lockridge, Akil Badoo, Christian Yelich, Jake Bauers, and others.

As a batter, Dominguez can add his switch-hitting skills to the Brewers lineup, although his left-handed power is much better than his right-handed bat. Owing to these struggles, he only recorded 10 homers in 123 games last season.

With the offseason almost near the finish line, the most interesting thing left to see is whether the Yankees manage to trade Bellinger and give playing time to Dominguez or the reverse in the upcoming season.