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yesterday

Cody Bellinger Expected to Opt Out, Setting Up Yankees–Mets Free-Agency Fight

The 30-year-old has told Jon Heyman his lone prerequisite for any extension is joining a winner.

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ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - AUGUST 15: Cody Bellinger #35 of the New York Yankees in the dugout prior to the MLB game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on August 15, 2025 in St Louis, Missouri.
CLEVELAND, OH - SEPTEMBER 15: A batting helmet sits in the dugout before a game between the Texas Rangers and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on September 15, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Ron Schwane/Getty Images)

Overview

  • Bellinger is widely expected to decline his $25 million option and test free agency after the 2025 season, per multiple reports.
  • Fresh projections peg his open-market value around $182–$189 million over six years, with Spotrac’s estimates reported by The Sporting News and Newsweek.
  • Heyman identified the Mets as a plausible bidder to poach him from the Yankees, noting he will have a strong market.
  • Any Yankees push to keep him likely hinges on convincing him the roster is built to contend, with a narrow window to negotiate before he opts out.
  • A rebound season in New York has boosted his value, with a .277/.333/.499 line and 27 home runs through 133 games and a career-low 13% strikeout rate.