The verdict is settled among netizens. They’ve more or less accepted the idea that Yankees’ longtime insider Jon Heyman is working hand-in-hand with Scott Boras, with some even claiming he’s practically part of Boras Corporation.

Boras represents a long list of stars, including the Yankees’ Cody Bellinger. While reporting the Yankees’ offseason plans, Jon Heyman updated that the team’s priority will be to lock in Bellinger. Then, after noting that the Yankees’ next priority was monitoring Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai, Heyman described Kyle Tucker as the Yankees’ “backup plan” if they aren’t able to retain Bellinger.

That’s where things went wrong.

MLB super-agent Scott Boras is widely recognized to be exceptionally clever and a masterful negotiator. And the idea that Jon Heyman acts as Scott Boras’ mouthpiece isn’t new. That narrative started around 2009 and hasn’t died down ever since.

He referred to a $400 million outfielder as merely a “backup plan” behind Bellinger, who’s projected for more than half of that amount: $162 million.

Undoubtedly, outfielder Kyle Tucker is widely seen as the top free agent in this year’s class. But Bellinger still seems like the better fit for the Yankees. Even though their numbers aren’t far off, Bellinger’s cost is a huge advantage. Plus, he can play center field, left field, and right field, while Tucker is just a corner outfielder.

Considering Yankee Stadium’s short porch, Cody Bellinger would be a huge asset once again.

Yet, in contradiction to Heyman’s take on the Yankees’ offseason plans, a panel of MLB executives believes the Yankees are unlikely to re-sign Cody Bellinger this season. Six of 16 execs predicted the Yankees would prioritize signing Tucker first.

They finished well ahead of the Dodgers (four votes) and the Blue Jays (three). The Tigers, Phillies, and Orioles each picked up just one lone vote.

But even with all that, fans are speculating that Heyman is working for Scott Boras.

Kyle Tucker’s fans are leveling some harsh accusations at Jon Heyman and Scott Boras

Kyle Tucker is the top free agent on the market this winter, and when Jon Heyman listed him as a “backup plan,” the backlash was immediate. “Kyle Tucker is a backup plan. 😂 Heyman is doing Scott Boras’s dirty work. Heyman has no shame,” one fan noted.

A 29-year-old Tucker, who ranked first overall on The Athletic’s list of Top 50 free agents, being a “backup” to the 31-year-old seemed funny to the baseball community.

Netizens have also been saying for a while that Heyman tends to push news that benefits Scott Boras’s clients. “Calling a $400M player a “fallback option” is utterly hilarious. Jon is working overtime for Boras to come up with horrendous headlines.” Some time ago, he compared one of Boras’s clients – Tarik Skubal – to Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani. That comparison immediately triggered backlash. Many felt that equating Skubal, despite his great season, with a megastar like Ohtani was a bit premature.

And now, once again, he’s pushing another Boras client. “Boras (Heyman) continually pushing the far inferior player is so funny.”

Fans are seeing Heyman being overly promotional rather than being an unbiased insider. “Kyle Tucker will obviously sign first and set the market for Cody. So how exactly are the Yankees planning to ‘pivot’ to Kyle as a 2nd option…???” Overall, Tucker is seen as the better hitter. But Bellinger offers flexibility. Even then, topping the free agent market, it is expected that Kyle Tucker will sign the papers first!

So, fans couldn’t sit well with Heyman’s take. “Why on Earth would a team target a $150M player only to have a $350M player as their “fallback option”??? 😂😂😂” In a perfect scenario, the Yankees could have signed both sluggers. But with Trent Grisham returning to center field after accepting New York’s $22 million qualifying offer, that option is off the table.

Do you think considering Kyle Tucker a “backup plan” was a little far-fetched?