Phillies Interested In Cody Bellinger

"Much of the buzz surrounding the Phillies this winter has concerned their efforts to re-sign one or both or Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto. Since either of those free agents might well end up leaving Philadelphia for another team, the Phils have also been doing their due diligence on other major free agents or trade targets, including Tatsuya Imai and Ketel Marte."

"Cody Bellinger's name can now also be added to the list, as ESPN's Jeff Passan writes that the Phillies "have interest in" the former NL MVP. The Phils join the Yankees, Mets, Angels, Dodgers, and Blue Jays as teams known to have some level of interest in Bellinger's services. Since it is known that re-signing Schwarber is the Phillies' chief priority, Bellinger might represent the team's backup plan if Schwarber heads elsewhere."

"Bellinger is also a left-handed hitter, and is coming off a strong 2025 campaign that saw him hit .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs over 656 plate appearances for the Yankees. It was more than enough for Bellinger to decline his $25MM player option for the 2026 season and re-enter the free agent market, looking for the long-term nine-figure deal that has eluded him in previous trips to the open market."

"Bellinger had a 125 wRC+ last season, which is a few notches below the 152 wRC+ Schwarber posted during his 56-homer season. Over the 2023-25 seasons, the gap is narrowed to a 135 wRC+ for Schwarber and a 123 wRC+ for Bellinger. In terms of how the two have produced their numbers, it's a tale of two somewhat opposite skillsets. Bellinger makes a lot of contact and rarely strikes out, though he doesn't generate much hard contact."

Philadelphia prioritized re-signing Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto while evaluating contingency options such as Tatsuya Imai and Ketel Marte. Cody Bellinger has attracted interest from the Phillies and other clubs including the Yankees, Mets, Angels, Dodgers, and Blue Jays. Bellinger hit .272/.334/.480 with 29 homers in 2025 across 656 plate appearances and declined a $25MM option to seek a long-term contract. Bellinger posted a 125 wRC+ in 2025 versus Schwarber's 152 that year; across 2023–25 Schwarber holds a 135 wRC+ to Bellinger's 123. Bellinger offers left-handed contact and low strikeouts, while Schwarber delivers louder contact with higher strikeouts; both hit left-handed pitching well.

Read at MLB Trade Rumors