Despite our calls for it to happen, the Toronto Blue Jays never really seemed interested in signing free agent outfielder Cody Bellinger this offseason.

And any dream of it died on Wednesday when Bellinger officially re-upped with the New York Yankees on a five-year deal worth $162.5 million. According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, there are no contract deferrals and there are opt-outs after both 2027 and 2028.

While it's disappointing for some fans to see Bellinger not come to Toronto, it's also disappointing to see Bellinger go back to New York, strengthening a division rival that already got to the playoffs in 2025.

Now 30 years old, Bellinger is a nine-year veteran of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Yankees. A former MVP, Bellinger is a World Series winner (2020), and a lifetime .261 hitter with 225 homers. He's got five seasons of 25 homers or more and he hit 29 for the Yankees in 2025 while driving in 98 runs.

Well, he's back to pair with Aaron Judge to make up one of the best lineup duos in the American League again for 2026. And oh yeah, the Yankees still have Jazz Chisholm Jr., Giancarlo Stanton and Trent Grisham to provide additional pop in the lineup, making them a group to be reckoned with.

And with Gerrit Cole returning from Tommy John surgery to pair with Carlos Rodon and a full season of Cam Schlittler, the Yankees should be a tough competitor for the Jays once again.

And this doesn't even include what the Red Sox and Orioles have done this offseason to make the American League East a true gauntlet heading into 2026. The Orioles have signed Pete Alonso while the Red Sox have brought in Ranger Suarez, Johan Oviedo, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras.

Well, Toronto reportedly offered a 10-year, $350 million deal to outfielder Kyle Tucker, so if they were interested in outfielders, then Bellinger would have made sense as a follow-up, especially if he could have been had for half the cost. Furthermore, with George Springer, Myles Straw and Daulton Varsho all free agents at the end of 2026, he would have given some certainty and clarity to the future as well.

Bellinger can play all three positions in the outfield, as well as first base, giving the Jays flexibility. But it's all for moot now.

There are no more big (and easy) moves on the board for Toronto this offseason, so anything they do would be a surprise moving forward.

It seems as if the Jays will roll with Ernie Clement at second base, Kazuma Okamoto at third base, Addison Barger in right field with Varsho in center and one of Springer and Anthony Santander in left.

Of course, Barger can also move to third, forcing Okamoto into a super-utility role and one of the reserve outfielders into a prominent role as well.

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