New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger has enjoyed quite the career resurgence since signing with the team this past offseason.
He’s not the same Bellinger that smacked 47 home runs and 115 runs batted in on his way to winning the 2019 NL MVP with the Dodgers, but he has been nothing short of an asset on a team that fields four former MVP players.
However, as the power-hitting lefty hits free agency after this season, he does have one requirement for wherever he lands, be it with the Yankees or elsewhere.
Bellinger Says He Wants to Play for a “Winner”
In an interview with MLB insider Jon Heyman, the former MVP was very clear about what he was looking for as he tests the waters of free agency.
“Bellinger told me the other day that he wants to play for a winner, that’s his only prerequisite,” Heyman said on MLB Network. ”
“Bellinger has had a terrific year in the Bronx, in fact one Yankees person told me ‘he’s our best player,’ ” Heyman said. “That’s obviously an exaggeration, but he has been really good in four spots. I do think he would stay in a big market, whether it’s the Yankees, or the Mets would be a fit too.”
The Yankees likely wouldn’t want to see another power-hitting lefty jump ship to the other New York team after Juan Soto did the exact same thing last season, but with how loved Belli is in the Bronx, and especially with how well he’s done, retaining him should be high on their to-do list, keeping him with Aaron Judge, Paul Goldschmidt, and Giancarlo Stanton.
And as you can guess, free agency decisions are far from the outfielder’s mind.
“As cliche as it is, as cliche as it sounds, I don’t even want to think about it,” Bellinger said. “I don’t think about it because we have 40-some games left.”
Bellinger is hitting .277 with 27 homers and 88 runs batted in through 133 games played in the 2025 season.
