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4d ago

Bellinger Enters Free Agency as Yankees Weigh Kwan Trade and Okamoto Option

Rotation uncertainty forces New York to balance a pricey reunion against lower-cost alternatives.

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BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 21: Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees runs back to dug out between innings during a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 21, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • Cody Bellinger is set to opt out of his $25 million option and hit the market after a rebound year in New York, posting a .272/.334/.480 line with 29 home runs and 98 RBI.
  • Contract projections place Bellinger in the top tier of free agents, with estimates such as five years at $140 million and Spotrac’s model at six years and $182.7 million.
  • Reporting has linked the Yankees to a possible pivot toward Cleveland’s Steven Kwan, a cost-controlled, high-contact left fielder with elite defense and one year of arbitration remaining.
  • A new report also connects New York to Yomiuri Giants slugger Kazuma Okamoto, expected to be posted, whose power and defensive versatility could help replace Bellinger’s production.
  • Pitching needs shape the calculus, with Gerrit Cole not expected to be ready for Opening Day and Clarke Schmidt sidelined deep into 2026, and external speculation naming Sandy Alcantara as a potential trade target.