The New York Yankees remain among the league’s top teams, but over the past two years they’ve watched several key players depart for the New York Mets in free agency. With the American League East as competitive as ever, the Yankees can’t continue to lose high-profile talent and expect to remain contenders.
Juan Soto headed to Queens last offseason, and this winter both Luke Weaver and Devin Williams followed suit by signing with the Mets.
After those bullpen departures, SportsGrid’s Paul Connor reveal that the Yankees will also see star outfielder defect to the Mets.
“Versatile defender who hit .272/.334/.480 with 29 HR and 98 RBI; improved plate discipline and WAR (5.0), but bat speed decline is a risk,” Connor wrote.
Bellinger is one of the best free agents on the market right now, and he’s likely going to be paid as such. Jim Bowden of The Athletic predicted he would sign for $168 million this winter, which is a number only the Yankees, Mets, and a few other clubs could afford.
The Yankees need to do whatever they can to bring Bellinger back, especially if he’s considering bolting for Queens.
Bellinger was a huge piece of the puzzle for Aaron Judge and the Yankees this season. They can’t afford to continue to lose players to their cross-town rivals.
But the Mets need an outfielder like Bellinger as much as any team. They recently whiffed on corner infielder Munetaka Murakami, so there’s still a gap in the lineup. Adding Bellinger in center field or at first base would be exactly what the Mets need.
