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Yankees manager Aaron Boone may have more relief options after adding Kervin Castro to their 40-man roster.
The New York Yankees have not had a great MLB offseason thus far, although the rumors surrounding the team have started picking up steal.
With both Kyle Tucker and Bichette officially off of the market after signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets respectively, the rumors have shifted to Cody Bellinger.
Bellinger has been discussing a new deal with the Yankees all offseason long. So far, the two sides have been unable to reach an agreement. There is still hope that the two sides can make some progress in the near future and stick together.
Keeping that in mind, a new projection has been made for New York amid the ongoing Bellinger rumors.
Ryan Finkelstein of Just Baseball has revealed a new prediction for Bellinger and the Yankees. He thinks the two parties will come together on a six-year, $180 million contract.
“Same team prediction, but we will adjust the contract based on the recent reporting,” Finkelstein wrote. “Bellinger and the Yankees are in a heated contract negotiation, one which New York has already threatened to walk away from. They reportedly have a five-year deal on the table that would pay Bellinger north of $30 million per, but Bellinger is looking for a seven-year deal. I think they meet in the middle on a six-year deal, which could pay Bellinger $30 million per season.”
The New York Yankees Simply Must Keep Cody Bellinger
Last offseason, New York acquired Bellinger in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. That move paid off in a big way after his productive 2025 season.
In the 152 games he played in his first year with the Yankees, Bellinger produced big numbers. He hit 29 home runs to go along with 98 RBI and a slash line of .272/.334/.480.
New York simply cannot afford to lose that kind of offensive production.
Add in the fact that the Yankees have nowhere to turn if Bellinger leaves and things get even more urgent. New York would not be able to find another player who could produce at the same level of Bellinger if he signs with another team.
Giving him a six-year, $180 million deal would be pricey. However, that is likely what the Yankees will have to pay to keep him in town.
Other Rumors Are Rising Surrounding the Yankees
Bellinger is not the only name New York has been connected to of late. There has been a lot of smoke surrounding the Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers star pitcher Freddy Peralta in trade rumors.
Entering the MLB offseason, it was clear that New York needed starting pitching help. Adding Peralta would fix those issues.
During the 2025 season with the Brewers, Peralta made 33 starts. He compiled a 17-6 record to go along with a 2.70 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, a 3.1 K/BB ratio, and 176.2 innings pitched.
There are plenty of other teams interested in Peralta as well. Similarly to Bellinger, the Yankees will need to get very aggressive if they want to acquire the star pitcher.
Expect to hear more rumors about the team in the coming days and weeks. Both Bellinger and Peralta are names worth keeping a very close eye on.
Evan Massey Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Newsweek, Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. More about Evan Massey
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