"The Yanks had been tied to Bellinger in free agency and trade rumors for years. That finally came to fruition last offseason with what amounted to a salary dump trade with Chicago. Bellinger was coming off a relative down '24 season (.266/.325/.426) and passed on his first opt-out chance in his three-year deal. The Cubs pulled off the Kyle Tucker trade to add a needed impact bat in the middle of the order."
"That proved a worthwhile investment even if the team had a disappointing exit in this week's Division Series. Bellinger played about as well as could be expected. He hit .272/.334/.480 across 656 plate appearances. Bellinger hit 29 homers, his best single-season total since he connected on 47 longballs during his 2019 MVP season. He swiped 13 bases while cutting his strikeout rate to a career-low 13.7% clip."
Cody Bellinger will decline his $25MM player option and become a free agent, collecting a $5MM buyout with the Cubs paying half. New York absorbed $47.5MM of the $52.5MM remaining on Bellinger's contract after the Cubs sent him to the Yankees in a salary-dump trade. The Cubs paid $2.5MM of his $27.5MM salary this season and are responsible for $2.5MM of the buyout; the Yankees paid $27.5MM total for one year. Bellinger hit .272/.334/.480 across 656 plate appearances with 29 homers, 13 steals, and a career-low 13.7% strikeout rate, posting a much stronger .302/.365/.544 line and 18 homers at Yankee Stadium versus .241/.301/.414 on the road. Interest on the open market had been muted previously.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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