The New York Mets just got out of a long contract with Brandon Nimmo. Another decade-long deal contradicts the Mets’ current plan. But Kyle Tucker won’t sign an agreement for any less than 10 years and around $400 million this winter. The Boras client is viewed as the best all-around player, hitting free agency at 28. Now, it’s looking more and more likely that David Stearns will turn his full attention to the Yankees’ $165 million star.

It should always have been Stearns’ Plan A to sign Cody Bellinger. New York insider Andy Martino recently broke down why Cody Bellinger is a much better fit for the Mets than Kyle Tucker.

“I would say Bellinger, for sure. Tucker doesn’t work for the Mets, I don’t think, in that they just traded Brandon Nimmo to free up a corner spot for better defense. Tucker is not a bad defender, but he’s an average to perhaps, at the moment, above-average defender at a corner.” 

Further, he added, “You’d have to put him in right and move Juan Soto to left, which would be suboptimal, to say the least.”

Signing Tucker would force the Mets to move Juan Soto to left field, where he’s weaker defensively. This makes their defense worse, not better.

In an offseason where the Mets are focused on tightening up their defense, Bellinger actually helps them achieve this goal. But Tucker doesn’t move the defensive needle enough for what they need right now.

On defense, Bellinger’s numbers reflect that he was solid in the corner outfield spots.

He added 13 steals in 15 tries. All of that combined for a 4.9 fWAR. And that tied with Phillies star Kyle Schwarber for 18th in MLB.

Plus, the Mets could also use Bellinger at first base if required.

Although Stearns doesn’t want to imagine the Mets without Pete Alonso next season, the chances of that happening are still pretty real.

If Alonso does leave and the Mets end up signing Bellinger, he could help out at first base when needed, as he did in seven appearances for the Yankees this past season.

The Mets’ interest in Cody Bellinger has put the Yankees in a tough spot

Bellinger’s next contract is projected to be around six years and $168 million. That will average approximately $28 million per season for the Mets or any other team looking to acquire him.

Cody Bellinger was the Yankees’ second-best outfielder this past season. But now there’s a real chance they might have to move on from him. Things got especially complicated when Trent Grisham accepted the $22 million qualifying offer in late November. The outfield picture is looking crowded now.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, it now feels like the Yankees are headed toward one of two outcomes.

Either they re-sign Bellinger and trade a top prospect like Spencer Jones or Jasson Domínguez, or they let the two-time All-Star walk.

That uncertainty opens the door for the Mets and others to make a move for Bellinger. He could end up being one of the first big names to sign this offseason.

As for the Yankees’ young outfielders, Domínguez didn’t see nearly enough action for a 22-year-old former top prospect. He got only 120 plate appearances after the All-Star break. And Spencer Jones crushed 35 homers across Double-A and Triple-A this year. At 24, it wouldn’t be fair to keep him in the minors all season if he keeps hitting like that.

The winter meetings are right around the corner. Only time will tell where the New York franchises will land.