The New York Yankees' biggest threat in MLB free agency couldn't be any more clear.
The New York Yankees watched as a major trade was completed on Sunday, with the New York Mets sending outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers in exchange for middle infielder Marcus Semien.
On the surface, this just looks like two guys on bad contracts being swapped for one another, but at its core, it means a lot more than that.
By shipping out Nimmo, the Mets just made it abundantly clear that they are trying to rob the Yankees for a second straight offseason. Last winter, it was Juan Soto. This time, the target is Cody Bellinger.
The Mets had a clear need for an outfielder before trading Nimmo. Now, it's a glaring hole, and while Kyle Tucker may be the flashiest name, Bellinger is the best outfielder on the market from a bang-for-your-buck perspective.
Could the Mets still target Tucker? Sure, but it seems relatively unlikely after they handed Soto $800 million last December. Steve Cohen obviously has deep pockets, but even he has limits, so you have to think that the much more affordable Bellinger is at the forefront of his sights.
The Yankees just saw Trent Grisham accept their $22 million qualifying offer, and general manager Brian Cashman is playing it coy by saying that Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones will be competing for the starting job in left field.
Make no mistake: the Yanks want Bellinger back, but they also don't want to lose any leverage with the Scott Boras client, especially with the Mets closing in (Boras represents Soto, too, by the way).
It's not just that Cohen wants Bellinger because he would be a great fit; he would also love nothing more than to burn the Yankees again. It's puerile and it's fatuous, especially considering that Cohen's Soto megadeal resulted in the Mets missing the playoffs. But don't think for a second that the billionaire wouldn't love to stick it to the Bronx Bombers two offseasons in a row.
Unlike Cohen, though, Hal Steinbrenner utilizes a much more cautious approach. He has a tight budget, and for the most part, he abides by it. Cashman knows this, so he only has so much he can spend throughout the winter. If the Mets come along and offer Bellinger $200 million, that could be Cashman's cue to look elsewhere ... or roll with Dominguez or Jones.
Bellinger has become the toast of free agency with capable suitors everywhere, but the Mets are quickly emerging as the biggest threat to remove him from pinstripes.