The New York Yankees apparently have a backup plan in the event that they don't re-sign Cody Bellinger.
It has been abundantly clear all offseason that the New York Yankees' top priority has been re-signing Cody Bellinger, but they surely knew it wasn't going to be easy.
Bellinger is one of the most coveted players in a rather thin free-agent market and is coming off of a 2025 campaign in which he posted an .813 OPS while playing great corner outfield defense.
However, Bellinger is also 30 years old with an injury history and has really only had two very good seasons since his MVP campaign with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019, so there is reason for trepidation if you are the Yankees.
ESPN's Buster Olney said he feels New York is offering Bellinger something in the neighborhood of a five-year, $130 million contract, which Bellinger likely feels is beneath what he is worth.
But if the Yankees are not able to retain Bellinger, Olney said they have a backup plan.
“Bo Bichette becomes a sort of safety net for the Yankees if they can’t get Bellinger at their price,” Olney said on TSN Radio. “The question is whether Bichette’s camp eventually comes down into the Yankees’ comfort range.”
Bo Bichette. Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images.Bichette is becoming a hot name on the open market with various teams reportedly interested in the 27-year-old shortstop.
He spent the first seven years of his big-league career with the Toronto Blue Jays, earning a pair of All-Star selections and slashing .294/.337/.469.
This past season, Bichette slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBI over 628 plate appearances, helping the Blue Jays win the AL East division title. He was injured for the playoffs, but returned in the World Series and managed a .923 OPS across 27 trips to the dish.
We all know Bichette has a good bat, but his poor glove is a major sticking point. There is also the question of where the Yankees would put the former second-round pick.
Bichette is reportedly open to moving to second base, but New York already has Jazz Chisholm at the position. The Yanks could slot Bichette in at shortstop, but whether they would want such a poor defender manning such an important position is debatable.
My opinion on this has been clear the entire time: the Yankees should avoid spending nearly $200 million on Bichette.