"Passan notes that the Jays want a left-handed complement to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. They have a few lefties projected to be in next year's lineup. That includes Addison Barger, Daulton Varsho and Nathan Lukes, but there's room for improvement there. Barger has shown signs he could be a middle-of-the-order bat but his track record in the majors isn't especially long yet. Varsho has some home run pop but isn't an elite hitter overall. Lukes is a pesky, contact-oriented type."
"Bellinger just had a strong 2025 campaign with the Yankees. He hit 29 home runs while only striking out 13.7% of the time. His .272/.334/.480 batting line translated to a wRC+ of 125. He stole 13 bases and got strong defensive grades, playing all three outfield spots as well as first base."
"There were some concerning elements under the hood. None of Bellinger's 29 home runs went to the opposite field. He had a .302/.365/.544 slash and 152 wRC+ when playing at Yankee Stadium with its short porch in right field. He had a .241/.301/.414 line and 97 wRC+ on the road."
Multiple teams including the Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays and Dodgers expressed interest in signing Cody Bellinger following his strong 2025 season. Toronto seeks a left-handed complement to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., with Addison Barger, Daulton Varsho and Nathan Lukes projected but imperfect fits; Kyle Tucker remains the top target while Bellinger is viewed as a fallback. Bellinger produced a .272/.334/.480 line with 29 homers, 13 steals and strong defensive grades across multiple positions. Home/road splits favored Yankee Stadium and none of his homers went to the opposite field. His exit velocity, hard-hit and barrel rates remained below average, which may limit market demand.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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