The New York Yankees lost Juan Soto in free agency last winter and replaced him with Chicago Cubs outfielder Cody Bellinger. who was spectacular with the Yankees this season. However, he recently opted out of his contract with the Bronx Bombers and opted for free agency this winter.
As a result, the Yankees will need to re-sign or replace Bellinger in the coming months. Re-signing him won’t be the easiest route, as Baseball America recently projected the superstar would sign a massive six-year, $175 million deal this offseason.
The Yankees are rumored to be interested in Kyle Tucker, too. Tucker would be the best option on the board, but he’s also projected to land around twice as much money as Bellinger.
As a result, this could come down to whether the Yankees want to spend $360 million to $400 million for Tucker or around $200 million for Bellinger.
The decision could come down to defense, as the Yankees have typically prioritized defense over the last year. Bellinger is a much better defender than Tucker.
But there’s still a chance the Yankees whiff on both outfielders, which would be the worst-case scenario for Aaron Boone’s team.
Still, this projection is firmly in the Yankees’ price range.
