Cody Bellinger Next Team: Could the Yankees Lose Outfielder?

Coming off a bounce-back campaign, Cody Bellinger hopes to land a significant payday as one of the top outfielders in MLB free agency.

Bellinger put together a 5.1 bWAR season with the New York Yankees in 2025 after being traded from the Chicago Cubs. Bellinger clubbed 29 homers (his highest output since 2019), while posting a slash line of .272/.334/.480 with an OPS+ of 125.

Between his results last year and the outfield need among most contenders, Bellinger is a free agent at the opportune time.

Cody Bellinger Next Team Odds & Favorites

The BetMGM online sportsbook doesn’t offer odds on Bellinger’s next team, which makes sense because it’s one of the more fluid markets in free agency.

Many of the top teams in the sport are in desperate need of an outfielder.

The New York Yankees have expressed interest in bringing Bellinger back. Staying in the same city, the New York Mets have seen more players leave than arrive this winter, but they have money to spend and are prioritizing better defense.

The Los Angeles Dodgers somehow aren’t done with the highest payroll in the sport. Their most significant need is in the outfield, as they hope to get younger and more consistent production from that group.

As a result, I’d rank those three teams as the favorites to bring in the 30-year-old Bellinger at this point in the offseason.

Cody Bellinger Next Team Prediction

As things currently stand, I like the idea of Bellinger signing with the Mets after one season with the Yankees. That’s the path Juan Soto followed before signing the biggest deal in professional sports last offseason.

So far this winter, the Mets have let multiple players walk in free agency. They didn’t offer a contract to Pete Alonso, who signed for $155 million with the Baltimore Orioles. Closer Edwin Díaz joined the Dodgers, outfielder Cedric Mullins moved to the Tampa Bay Rays, and reliever Tyler Rogers is now with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Despite what the narrative has been thus far, I don’t think these departures are a sign that the Mets are suddenly becoming cheap. They simply have a plan, one that focuses on getting better defensive play.

As a former Gold Glove winner, Bellinger can help the Mets in that regard. He might not be the same defender he once was, but he still projects as a plus-defender in either corner outfield spot.

In addition, Bellinger could boost the Mets’ production against left-handed pitching. They posted an NL-best 118 wRC+ against right-handers last year, but that number fell to 98 when facing southpaws.

Bellinger, a lefty batter, doesn’t have a platoon split to worry about. He hit .353 in 153 at-bats against lefties last year. That’s a positive sign when projecting out his future impact throughout the course of this deal.

The Mets have the second-highest payroll in the sport. Their total payroll has ranked first or second every year since 2022. They didn’t suddenly become cheap; they have a different approach.

Whether or not it’s the right approach remains to be seen, but the signing of Bellinger could silence some of the noise.

Cody Bellinger’s next team prediction: New York Mets