It seems that interest from a division rival forced the New York Yankees’ hand, and made them complete the Cody Bellinger trade under less favorable terms.
For months, the Yankees have been linked to a potential trade for the one-time National League MVP. The lefty-hitting outfielder would be a perfect fit in Yankee Stadium as a hitter but he would also force Aaron Judge to a corner outfield spot or be a great replacement for departing first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
That is why when a trade was finalized last week, it received a lot of praise from around the baseball world. However, it took some time to hammer out a deal, and a major sticking point, reportedly, was the $47 million still owed to the 29-year-old.
The Yankees allegedly wanted the Cubs to pick up a solid portion of that money. In the end, they were only able to extract $5 million a year from Chicago to help pay off the two-time All-Star’s contract. But a new report implies New York would have remained in their game of chicken with the Cubs if not for a rival team showing interest in Bellinger.
- Cody Bellinger stats (2024): .266 AVG, .325 OBP, .426 SLG, .751 OPS, 18 HR, 78 RBI, 72 R
Did Toronto Blue Jays force New York Yankees hand in Cody Bellinger trade talks?
“The Yankees originally wanted the Cubs to pay $10 million a year and were still apart when the Cubs offered to chip in $5 million total. The teams staged a staring contest for days. But once the needy Blue Jays came calling, the Yankees had to accede to the Cubs’ wishes,” New York Post MLB insider Jon Heyman reported this week.
- Cody Bellinger contract: Three years, $80 million
Bellinger has just over $47 million left on his contract. And after a down season in 2024, many teams balked at being on the hook for that amount. In the end, to get the player they reportedly were very high on the Yankees had to make a deal they did not prefer.
