The New York Yankees are reportedly considering a significant five-year contract offer for Cody Bellinger, with an annual compensation exceeding $30 million. However, ESPN's Buster Olney highlighted over the weekend that the team is also preparing for the possibility of Bellinger signing elsewhere, potentially for a deal lasting more than six years.
In a report released this evening, Brendan Kuty from The Athletic provided further insights regarding the Yankees' current position. He mentioned that their five-year proposal features a genuine average annual value of around $31 to $32 million, as it does not involve any deferred payments. Additionally, the Yankees are open to discussing opt-out clauses, although it remains unclear whether their latest offer actually included such terms.
The main obstacle in negotiations seems to be the length of the contract. Bellinger’s representatives at the Boras Corporation are reportedly seeking a seven-year commitment. Olney suggested that Bellinger is also looking for a higher annual salary than what the Yankees have proposed, but the additional one or two years of guaranteed money appears to be the more significant issue. As Bellinger approaches his 30th birthday—turning 31 in July, just weeks after the unofficial cutoff for determining a player's seasonal age—this timing factors heavily into the negotiations.
According to MLB Trade Rumors' Contract Tracker, Brandon Nimmo recently secured the most recent six-plus year contract for a hitter in his 30s, signing an eight-year deal during the 2022-23 offseason. However, such lengthy contracts have been scarce in the last two offseasons. For example, Alex Bregman declined a six-year offer from Detroit last winter as he approached his 31st birthday and ultimately agreed to a five-year deal last week that will extend through his age-36 season. In a similar vein, Kyle Schwarber signed a five-year contract that covers his ages 33 to 37 last month.
During his previous stint in free agency, Bellinger opted for a shorter contract with opt-out options, agreeing to a three-year deal worth $80 million, which allowed him to exit after each of the first two seasons. After deciding not to use his first opt-out, he returned to the free agent market following a productive season with a batting line of .272/.334/.480 in New York. This time around, he is not tied to a qualifying offer and seems poised to secure a much more lucrative deal than what he received previously.
What do you think about Bellinger's potential contract situation? Are the Yankees making a wise move by offering five years, or should they consider meeting his demands for a longer agreement?
