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Yankees Claim Kaleb Ort

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The Yankees announced that they have claimed right-hander Kaleb Ort off waivers from the Astros. The move was reported by Yankees Never Win prior to the official announcement. Houston recently designated Ort for assignment when they signed Tatsuya Imai. The Yanks had multiple 40-man vacancies and don’t need to make a corresponding move.

Ort, 34 in February, has pitched for the Red Sox and Astros over the past five seasons. He has shown some intriguing stuff but without fully harnessing it for good results. He averages in the upper 90s with his four-seamer while also throwing a cutter, slider and changeup.

Through the end of the 2023 season, he had thrown 51 2/3 innings for the Red Sox with a 6.27 earned run average. Boston put him on waivers in October of 2023 and he bounced around the league that winter, going to the Mariners, Marlins, Phillies and Orioles via waivers or cash deals. Baltimore kept him on optional assignment early in 2024, exhausting Ort’s final option year in the process. They put him in waivers in May of that year, which is when the Astros grabbed him.

He had his best run of major league success with the Astros. After that claim, he gave Houston 22 innings with a 2.55 ERA, 28% strikeout rate and 4.3% walk rate. That impressed the Astros enough that Ort held a roster spot through 2025 despite being out of options, but he couldn’t keep the results at that level. He tossed 46 innings last year with a 4.89 ERA. His 25.3% strikeout rate was still good but he gave out free passes at a 13.9% clip. He spent most of September on the injured list due to right elbow inflammation.

For the Yankees, there’s no real harm in a waiver claim for now. As mentioned, they had multiple open roster spots. Ort still doesn’t have enough service time to have qualified for arbitration. They can bring him into camp to compete for a bullpen spot.

It’s also possible they put him back on waivers later, after they make more moves and fill out the roster. If he were to pass through waivers unclaimed, they could keep him in a non-roster capacity. Ort doesn’t have a previous career outright and is shy of three years of service time, meaning he doesn’t have the right to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency.

Photo courtesy of Thomas Shea, Imagn Images

Yankees’ Offer To Bellinger Reportedly Above $30MM AAV

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The Yankees have made multiple offers to Cody Bellinger in recent weeks. Brendan Kuty of The Athletic reports that the most recent had an average annual value north of $30MM. However, the sides are still held up on contract length.

Kuty writes that Bellinger’s camp continues to push for a seven-year contract. It’s not known how many years the Yankees are willing to go, but it has thus far apparently been less than seven. Jon Morosi of The MLB Network suggested earlier this week that the team was more comfortable with a four- or five-year commitment.

The rumored proposal from New York would put Bellinger in the range of the most expensive bats to sign this offseason, at least on an annual basis. Kyle Schwarber re-signed with the Phillies for five years and $150MM. Pete Alonso received a five-year, $155MM deal from Baltimore. If the Yankees get their wish regarding the contract length, Bellinger’s deal likely ends up looking a lot like the Schwarber and Alonso pacts. MLB Trade Rumors settled on a five-year, $140MM contract in our list of the top 50 free agents.

As Kuty notes, a contract exceeding $30MM a year would make Bellinger one of the highest-paid outfielders in the league. Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, and Mookie Betts (if he still counts) are the only outfielders making more than $30MM per season. It would also be a significant jump from his recent contracts, as the market has treated him with trepidation in previous years.

After the Dodgers moved on from Bellinger following the 2022 season, the Cubs scooped him up on a one-year, $17.5MM deal. Bellinger rewarded Chicago with a 20/20 campaign, but it wasn’t enough to land a long-term contract. He ended up back with the Cubs on a three-year, $80MM deal with opt-outs after each season. Bellinger didn’t opt out after a middling 2024 and was then traded to New York. The Yankees were able to land him just by sending over Cody Poteet and agreeing to pay all but $5MM left on Bellinger’s contract.

Bellinger unsurprisingly opted out of the final year of his deal after a strong season in New York. Regardless of where he ends up, he should be able to top the $25MM he was slated to make in 2026. Bellinger slugged 29 home runs last year, the most since his NL MVP campaign in 2019. He added 13 steals and nearly drove in 100 runs. Bellinger also provided stellar defense, with both Defensive Runs Saved (+11) and Outs Above Average (+7) praising his work in the field. Bellinger logged 300+ innings at all three outfield positions. He also made a handful of appearances at first base. The Yankees didn’t need his services in the infield with Paul Goldschmidt on board, but he could be an asset there if needed.

In addition to the considerable counting stats, Bellinger also made some improvements under the hood in 2025. He bumped his hard-hit rate to 37.9%. That mark is just above league average, but it’s a big improvement from recent seasons. Bellinger’s 31.4% hard-hit rate in 2023 was among the reasons he failed to secure a long-term deal after his first year with the Cubs. While he hit .307 that season, it was likely fueled by a career-high .319 BABIP. His xBA (.268) was nearly 40 points lower than his actual mark. Bellinger’s hard-hit rate improved to a still-underwhelming 32.9% in 2024, while his bat speed slipped to 69 mph, which ranked in the 13th percentile.

Bellinger also made more contact this past season. His 13.7% strikeout rate was the best mark of his career, as was his 7.6% swinging-strike rate. Bellinger ranked 26th among all qualified hitters with a 91% zone contact rate. He’d only been above 87% once in his career before 2025. Average batted ball metrics combined with elite contact skills could portend continued success for the 30-year-old Bellinger, particularly if he stays in New York. He slashed an uninspiring .241/.301/.414 on the road last year.

Yankees Avoid Arbitration With Jazz Chisholm Jr.

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The Yankees announced they’ve reached an agreement with infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. for the 2026 season. It’s a one-year, $10.2MM deal, reports Jack Curry of the YES Network. Chisholm is a client of Roc Nation Sports.

New York settled all eight of its remaining arbitration cases today. Chisholm was the only one to crack eight figures, though closer David Bednar ($9MM) wasn’t far behind. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz nailed both numbers. The 27-year-old Chisholm is in his final year of arbitration and will head to free agency next offseason.

Chisholm put together a massive 30/30 campaign in his first full season in pinstripes. He struck out at an above-average clip, but also pushed his walk rate to a career-best 10.9%. Chisholm’s 126 wRC+ was his best mark since the 134 he posted in an abbreviated 2022 season, when a back injury limited him to 60 games. Health issues hindered Chisholm for much of his tenure in Miami. That hasn’t been the case in New York. Aside from a minimum IL stint in 2024 and a one-month absence this past year, Chisholm has been a fixture in the Yankees’ lineup. He’s played at least 130 games in back-to-back seasons.

After making the move to third base when he first joined the team, Chisholm was locked in at second base after New York traded for Ryan McMahon. He should reprise that role in 2026, assuming he’s still on the team. Rival clubs have checked in with the Yankees about Chisholm. The pending free agent is interested in a contract extension, but New York hasn’t been as keen on the idea. There’s been no indication that the Yankees are actually considering trading Chisholm. He’s more than likely going to be back in the middle of a formidable New York lineup next year.

Photo courtesy of Vincent Carchietta, Imagn Images

Latest On Yankees, Cody Bellinger

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The biggest offseason question for the Yankees has been whether they’ll re-sign Cody Bellinger. General manager Brian Cashman is on record about the club’s interest in doing so, and they’ve reportedly made at least two formal contract offers.

It doesn’t appear that Bellinger is on the verge of accepting a deal, however. Brendan Kuty of The Athletic wrote this morning that the sides don’t seem close to an agreement, though talks are continuing. Contract length could be a holdup. Kuty wrote that Bellinger and his representatives at the Boras Corporation were likely looking for a six- or seven-year contract. In an MLB Network appearance, Jon Morosi also suggested that Bellinger continued to seek a deal in the seven-year range. Morosi added that the Yankees unsurprisingly preferred a four- or five-year commitment.

Most external projections forecast a five- or six-year deal. MLBTR predicted a five-year, $140MM contract at the beginning of the offseason. Bellinger is headed into his age-30 season. There’s precedent for players commanding seven-plus years at that age, but the most recent free agent hitter to do so was Brandon Nimmo in 2022. There hasn’t even been a six-year contract for a free agent bat in his 30s since the Nimmo deal, but Alex Bregman (who was a year older at the time) rejected a six-year offer from the Tigers last winter.

Bellinger is coming off a fantastic first season in the Bronx. He hit .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs across 656 plate appearances. He cut his already low strikeout rate to a personal-best 13.7% clip. Bellinger’s bat speed and exit velocities — which prevented him from commanding a long-term contract two years ago — remain middling. His left-handed bat was perfectly suited to Yankee Stadium, where he hit .302/.365/.544 with 18 of his home runs. His .241/.301/.414 batting line on the road is essentially league average.

While that wouldn’t be much of an issue for the Yankees, they may feel that’ll give other teams pause. We’re only a year removed from Bellinger having essentially no trade value when he was signed for two years and $52.5MM. New York acquired him from the Cubs for journeyman pitcher Cody Poteet, whom Chicago cut at the end of Spring Training. The only cost for the Yankees was taking on all but $5MM on Bellinger’s deal. Trade talks were complicated by an opt-out clause in his contract, but it’s notable that teams weren’t eager to sign up for even two years at $25MM annually last offseason. A six-plus year commitment at a similar annual value is a significant ask.

Do teams other than the Yankees feel Bellinger is a dramatically different player than he was a year ago? His camp will surely argue that his success in New York — on top of his previous work in big markets in Los Angeles and Chicago — should move the needle. Bellinger also isn’t attached to draft compensation, as he was in 2023 when he declined a qualifying offer from the Cubs.

His results have outpaced his more middling batted ball metrics in three consecutive seasons. Bellinger is never going to recapture the ferocious power he had before he injured his right shoulder during the 2020 postseason. He has reinvented himself as an elite contact bat, and while his home/road splits aren’t encouraging, his platoon numbers are more impressive.

Bellinger is a .329/.371/.546 hitter against left-handed pitching over the past three seasons. Among lefty hitters with 250+ plate appearances in that time, only Yordan Alvarez has a superior slugging mark. Bellinger trails only Alvarez and Juan Soto in on-base percentage. Teams can comfortably pencil Bellinger in as an everyday player in either corner outfield spot, and he’s an option for at least semi-regular center field work.

Dodgers, Braves Among Teams To Show Interest In Freddy Peralta

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Though the Brewers have continually downplayed the possibility of actually trading him, ace right-hander Freddy Peralta continues to draw a wide array of interest. Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic include the Dodgers and Braves among a list of teams to inquire with the Brewers, joining a group of previously reported clubs that includes the Yankees, Mets and Red Sox. All of those clubs are still believed to have interest in the righty.

Peralta’s appeal is obvious. He’s a durable 29-year-old righty with a 3.30 ERA over his past five seasons, including a career-low 2.70 earned run average this past season (albeit with rate stats and fielding-independent marks that suggest it’s more reasonable to expect a low-3.00s ERA than another sub-3.00 mark). Peralta averages nearly 95 mph on his heater, misses bats at a high level, has only slightly worse-than-average command and, crucially, is earning just $8MM next season. That’s his final year before free agency, but even as a one-year rental, a team surrendering young talent to acquire Peralta would know that he’ll likely net a 2027 draft pick, as he’s a virtual lock to receive and reject a qualifying offer.

For luxury-paying clubs, Peralta’s modest salary is particularly enticing. That’s all the truer for teams like the Yankees, Mets and Dodgers, who figure to be in the top penalty tier for at least a third consecutive season. Those clubs are effectively paying double for any subsequent additions to the payroll. The Dodgers are already in the top tax bracket and thus would pay a 110% tax on any new additions to the payroll. The two New York clubs are just shy of the top tax bracket, but even while sitting in the third penalty tier, they’d be subject to a 95% tax. And both are close enough to the fourth-tier threshold that Peralta would put them right up against it or push them over.

For the Braves and Red Sox, the penalties would be far less severe. Atlanta didn’t pay the tax at all last year and is currently in the first penalty tier. They’d receive only a 20% ($1.6MM) slap on the wrist for adding Peralta’s salary to the ledger. The Red Sox would be crossing the tax line for just the second straight season, as they were under the threshold in 2024. They’re currently about $3MM shy of the tax cutoff, per RosterResource. As a second-time offender they’d pay a 30% tax on the first $20MM by which they exceed the limit. For Peralta, that’d be only a hair over $1.5MM.

In terms of roster fit, it’s pretty easy to see how Peralta would fit onto any of the listed clubs. Atlanta currently has Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Spencer Schwellenbach, Reynaldo Lopez and Hurston Waldrep lined up as its likely top five. Each of Sale, Strider, Schwellenbach and Lopez missed time with injuries in 2025. Lopez started only one game. Sale missed more than two months with fractures in his ribcage. Schwellenbach’s season ended in late June when he suffered a fracture in his right elbow. Strider posted a 4.45 ERA in his first season back from UCL surgery. Waldrep was impressive as a rookie but tossed only 56 1/3 innings in the majors.

The Dodgers certainly don’t “need” more starting pitching, but the old “no such thing as too much pitching” adage applies to veritably any club. Adding Peralta would be about further deepening the club’s October options. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski give the Dodgers an embarrassment of riches, and high-upside younger arms like River Ryan, Gavin Stone and Kyle Hurt are all on the mend from 2024 surgeries. Top prospect Jackson Ferris isn’t far from MLB readiness. It’s a deep group, but the Dodgers probably don’t want to simply presume that all of their more established arms will be healthy for the postseason. Bringing in another top-tier arm to join the group would further bolster their choices as they pursue an elusive threepeat.

The Yankees have yet to make an addition to the big league roster, beyond re-signing Ryan Yarbrough on a cheap one-year deal and selecting righty Cade Winquest from the Cardinals in the Rule 5 Draft. With Carlos Rodon, Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt all ticketed to open the season on the injured list, they could use some rotation help. The Mets, meanwhile, have subtracted more big names than they’ve added this winter. President of baseball ops David Stearns knows Peralta well from his Milwaukee days. The current Mets rotation is heavily reliant on rebounds from Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea as well as notable steps forward from prospects like Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat. The Red Sox have added Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo to what was already a pretty deep mix, but Peralta would be a clearer No. 2 option behind ace Garrett Crochet than Gray or right-hander Brayan Bello.

Other teams have surely shown interest in Peralta. Earlier in the offseason, it was reported that the Astros had looked into him, but they’ve since added Mike Burrows in a trade and Tatsuya Imai in free agency. The Orioles have shown interest as well, though Baltimore acquired Shane Baz and re-signed Zach Eflin, at least reducing some urgency. (Peralta would still be a notable and needed upgrade to the top end of the staff.) The Athletic’s report notes that some lower-payroll clubs are also looking into Peralta, given that his $8MM price point is affordable for any team.

Broadly speaking, it stands to reason that any 2026 postseason hopeful in the sport has probably at least gauged the asking price on Peralta. Rosenthal and Sammon suggest that a major league-ready starting pitcher is very likely to be a starting point in any talks regarding Peralta. Milwaukee won an MLB-best 97 games in 2025 and is seen as a favorite in the NL Central as a result. The Brewers know they could also get a compensatory pick in the 2027 draft if and when Peralta departs via free agency. They’re a revenue sharing recipient who doesn’t pay the luxury tax, so that pick would come at the end of the first round. That establishes a pretty reasonable base line that needs to be exceeded in any trade talks, and targeting MLB-ready help for a win-now club is only natural.

A Peralta trade shouldn’t be seen as likely. Milwaukee brass has publicly downplayed the possibility, but the Brewers will never fully close themselves off to trades of any notable stars as they approach free agency. Milwaukee traded Corbin Burnes, Devin Williams and Josh Hader near the end of their original windows of club control, after all. However, the Brewers also held onto Willy Adames for the 2024 season, knowing he’d likely reject a qualifying offer and depart via free agency, which is precisely how things played out. Keeping Peralta would give Milwaukee a deep and talented rotation, as he’d be joined by Brandon Woodruff, Jacob Misiorowski, Quinn Priester and Chad Patrick, with depth options including Logan Henderson, Tobias Myers and former top prospect Robert Gasser, who’ll be returning from Tommy John surgery.

Giants, Yankees, Mets, Cubs Interested In Edward Cabrera

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9:55PM: The Giants are “also believed [to be] interested” in Cabrera, Jon Heyman of the New York Post writes. San Francisco has already signed Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser to join Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Landen Roupp in the rotation, but a more controllable pitcher like Cabrera would be useful since Ray and Mahle will be free agents next winter. Beyond that starting five, the Giants have several younger arms but not a lot of experience, and conceivably one or two of these pitchers could be moved to Miami in a hypothetical Cabrera trade package.

12:54PM: The Yankees are discussing the possibility of a trade for right-hander Edward Cabrera with the Marlins, according to a report from Chris Kirschner and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The report also adds that the Yankees remain involved in the market for Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta after their involvement was first reported at the Winter Meetings last month. Meanwhile, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the Mets and Cubs have also shown interest in Cabrera.

Cabrera, 27, is an exciting young arm with considerable upside. The righty enjoyed a breakout season last year with Miami, pitching to a 3.53 ERA with a 3.83 FIP in 137 innings of work across 26 starts. That’s decent mid-rotation production already, but what makes Cabrera an especially enticing trade candidate is the possibility he’ll take a step forward in the future. The youngster averaged a career-best 97.0 mph on his fastball this past season despite throwing a career-high in terms of innings, and paired a strong 25.8% strikeout rate with a career-best 8.3% walk rate.

With a solid 47.9% ground ball rate for his career in addition to those strong strikeout and walk numbers, it’s not hard to imagine Cabrera building on his 2025 season to emerge as a dominant starter. The righty is also controlled through the end of the 2028 season, meaning that an acquiring club would have plenty of time to work with him before he reaches free agency.

Of course, that’s not to say there aren’t causes for concern. 2025 was the first year Cabrera crossed the 100 inning threshold at the big league level due to an assortment of injury woes. The most significant of were shoulder problems that limited him in both 2023 and ’24, but even last season saw Cabrera make two trips to the injured list. His second trip to the shelf, which occurred back in September, saw him sidelined due to a right elbow sprain. Elbow injuries are always worrisome for pitchers given that UCL injuries wipe out at least a year of a pitcher’s career when they require surgery, though it’s worth noting that Cabrera still struck out 26.3% of his opponents over his final two starts of the season after he returned from the shelf.

The Yankees, for their part, are seeking at least one starter to add to their rotation with both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon poised to start the season on the injured list, while Clarke Schmidt figures to miss most if not all of the 2026 campaign. Max Fried, Luis Gil, Cam Schlittler, and Will Warren all figure to be part of the Opening Day rotation at this point, but additional injuries could crop up and it makes plenty of sense for the Yankees to add another starter to the mix ahead of depth options like Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough.

Cabrera could be a particularly appealing addition for New York given that MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects him to earn just $3.7MM in arbitration this year. While the Yankees certainly have the budget to afford someone pricier, their primary focus seems to be retaining Cody Bellinger at this point and it’s unclear if the team has the stomach for a second nine-figure deal on top of the one Bellinger is reportedly seeking. That would leave bids of players like Ranger Suarez and Framber Valdez unrealistic, and Cabrera projects to be better than most other starters in free agency at this point.

That affordability also figures to be attractive to the Cubs, who have long been known to be searching for a player to add to the front of their rotation this winter. The club appeared to finish second in the Tatsuya Imai sweepstakes behind the Astros earlier this week, so it’s possible that missing out on Imai could spur the team to more aggressively pursue Cabrera or other starting pitcher.

Cabrera’s affordable salary would be particularly attractive for the Cubs given their reported interest in the infield market. They’ve been connected to each of Kazuma Okamoto, Alex Bregman, Eugenio Suarez, and Bo Bichette on one level or another throughout the offseason, and while Okamoto is off the market the other three remain available. Swinging a deal for Cabrera could allow the Cubs to sign one of those big bats without going over the luxury tax, something they’ve been loath to do in recent years, and that signing of an infielder could lessen the blow to the team’s offense a trade for Cabrera might create.

As for the Mets, the team has made adding to the front-of-their-rotation a stated priority as well but so far have been focused on reworking their position player mix and bullpen. Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz both walked in free agency, while Jorge Polanco, Devin Williams, and Luke Weaver have signed to help make up for those losses. Meanwhile, they’ve shipped out Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil while bringing Marcus Semien into the fold via the trade market.

All that maneuvering has left the starting rotation virtually untouched, and the Mets have made clear that they’re willing to deal from their collection of young infield talent (including Ronny Mauricio, Mark Vientos, and Luisangel Acuna) this winter as they look to improve the rest of their roster. They also have plenty of young pitching of their own, which could be attractive to the Marlins as a way to keep their deep rotation well-stocked with talent even after dealing Cabrera.

Yankees Sign Adam Kloffenstein, Payton Henry To Minors Contracts

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The Yankees signed right-hander Adam Kloffenstein and catcher Payton Henry to minor league contracts in December, according to the club’s official transactions page.  7 News Boston’s Ari Alexander writes that Kloffenstein’s deal includes an invitation to New York’s big league spring camp.

Kloffenstein’s MLB resume consists of one perfect inning of relief work for the Cardinals in their 6-5 win over the Giants on June 20, 2024.  He was sent back to Triple-A the next day, and some shoulder problems likely prevented another call-up to the active roster.  St. Louis non-tendered Kloffenstein after the season and he inked a minors deal with the Blue Jays — the team that began the righty’s pro career as a third-round pick in the 2018 draft.

This return to the Jays organization didn’t go well, as Kloffenstein was tagged for 20 homers over 82 innings with Triple-A Buffalo while posting a 6.26 ERA and 11.7% walk rate.  He also spent the first two months of the season on the injured list, Kloffenstein elected minor league free agency at season’s end, and he’ll now head to the Yankees to try and get his career on track.

Kloffenstein has a 5.01 ERA, 21.57% strikeout rate, and 11.55% walk rate over 210 1/3 Triple-A innings, starting 41 of his 45 Triple-A games.  He also had a 4.63 ERA over 175 Double-A frames, further impeding his status as a starting pitching prospect on the Jays’ and Cardinals’ minor league ladders.  Still only 25 years old, there’s plenty of time for Kloffenstein to figure things out, and the Yankees pitching development department has had quite a bit of success helping unheralded or struggling pitchers unlock something on the mound.

Henry also has a limited amount of big league experience, as he hasn’t been back to the Show since appearing in 20 games with the Marlins in 2021-22.  Traded to Milwaukee during the 2022-23 offseason, Henry has spent the last three years in the minors with the Brewers, Blue Jays, and Phillies without getting into another MLB game.  In 2024, Henry was limited to 27 games with Triple-A Buffalo after he was struck in the head by an opposing hitter’s backswing, and spent a three-month stint on the IL.

Henry has a .261/.329/.414 slash line over 862 Triple-A plate appearances, plus a .523 OPS over 51 PA in the majors.  Regarded as a solid defensive catcher, Henry will join Ali Sanchez as minor league signings providing some competition in camp and potentially acting as Triple-A depth during the season.  New York is pretty set behind the plate with Austin Wells, J.C. Escarra, and Ben Rice all on the MLB roster, and though Rice will primarily be used as a first baseman, Henry and Sanchez face a narrow path for much playing time in the Bronx.

Cody Bellinger Rumors: Cubs Interested, Yankees Make Second Contract Offer

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A new but familiar team has joined the list of clubs publicly connected to Cody Bellinger’s market, as the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports that the Cubs “checked in on” the former NL MVP’s services.  Bellinger played for the Cubs during the 2023-24 seasons, and Chicago’s involvement means that Bellinger’s market now consists of all three of his former teams (the Yankees, Cubs, and Dodgers), as well as the Giants, Mets, Angels, Blue Jays, and Phillies also showing interest at various points this offseason.

It isn’t known if the Cubs’ involvement is anything more than due diligence on an available player they’re quite familiar with, but Chicago’s offseason explorations have included such notable position players as Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman, Eugenio Suarez, Pete Alonso, and Kazuma Okamoto, in addition to a number of starting pitchers.  The Cubs have been very active in the bullpen market but have yet to make a truly big-ticket addition to a roster that reached the playoffs in 2025, but is expected to lose Kyle Tucker in free agency.

Bringing Bellinger back to Wrigleyville would be a fun pivot, as it was just over a year ago that the Cubs dealt the first baseman/outfielder to the Yankees.  Initially coming to Chicago on a three-year, $80MM free agent deal that included two opt-out clauses, Bellinger passed on his first opt-out following the 2024 season, leaving the Cubs on the hook for $52.5MM over the remaining two seasons.

The Cubs got most of that money off their future books by sending Bellinger and $5MM to New York in exchange for right-hander Cody Poteet, who was designated for assignment and then traded to the Orioles at the end of March.  In short, it was essentially a salary dump move for the Cubs, though they reinvested some of the money saved on Bellinger by acquiring Tucker in a blockbuster trade with the Astros.

In theory, re-acquiring Bellinger is a clean fit since he could slide directly into right field as Tucker’s replacement, with Seiya Suzuki remaining in a primary DH role.  It does create a bit of a logjam since top prospects Moises Ballesteros, Owen Caissie, and Kevin Alcantara are all ready to show what they can do with some extended MLB playing time.  Since Suzuki and Happ are free agents next winter, however, the Cubs could approach 2026 as something of an all-in push with their veteran core, and then give the kids a chance in 2027 once more roster space opens up.

MLB Trade Rumors projected Bellinger for a five-year, $140MM contract while ranking him eighth on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents.  Dansby Swanson’s seven-year, $177MM deal from the 2022-23 offseason remains the biggest free agent investment of Jed Hoyer’s tenure as president of baseball operations, and something of an outlier as Hoyer’s only nine-figure contract of any kind.

The Cubs have been open to significant contracts and extensions for the likes of Suzuki, Happ, Jameson Taillon, and others, but adding Bellinger at his projected price tag would be a reach given Chicago’s recent approach to spending.  That said, $140MM doesn’t seem like it should entirely be out of the Cubs’ price range, and the fact that Bellinger is a known quantity would make him a unique case.  After all, if the Cubs were willing to commit $80MM in Bellinger in the wake of two injury-plagued down years with the Dodgers, investing something like $140MM when Bellinger is coming off three solid years and is still only 30 years old seems like a reasonable move for the team.

All this speculation, of course, comes against the backdrop of the Yankees’ pursuit, as it has been widely observed that re-signing Bellinger is New York’s chief offseason priority.  If Bellinger is just one of multiple names on the Cubs’ radar but the top name on the Yankees’ wishlist, it would seem like the Bronx Bombers would be likelier to outbid the rest of the market for his services.

Heyman reported on Thursday that the Yankees made Bellinger a formal contract offer in late December, and Joel Sherman (also of the New York Post) adds the new detail that the Bombers have since made Bellinger a second offer.  This apparent increase in the pace of negotiations could hint that the two sides are getting closer to a deal to bring Bellinger back for an encore in the pinstripes.

As with the Cubs, Bellinger’s return to the Yankees would lead to a bit of a crowded roster situation.  With Aaron Judge in right field, Ben Rice at first base, Giancarlo Stanton at DH, and Trent Grisham accepting the qualifying offer to return in center field, that would leave left field as Bellinger’s only logical regular position.  This leaves Jasson Dominguez without a spot in the lineup, plus top outfield prospect Spencer Jones is expected to make his MLB debut at some point in 2026.

Sherman speculates that if Bellinger might actually be nearing a deal with New York, it could tie into recent reports of talks between the Yankees and Marlins about Edward Cabrera.  The Yankees are far from the only team trying to pry Cabrera away from the Fish, but New York has already made two prominent trades with Peter Bendix (including the Jazz Chisholm Jr. deal) during Bendix’s two-plus years in change of the Marlins’ front office.  If the Bombers re-signed Bellinger, that could make the Yankees more open to offering Dominguez or Jones as the centerpiece of a Cabrera trade package.

Yankees Sign Paul DeJong To Minor League Deal

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The Yankees and Paul DeJong are in agreement on a minor league deal, according to a report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post. DeJong will receive an invite to big league Spring Training next month as part of the deal. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports that DeJong will receive a $1MM salary if he makes the team.

DeJong, 32, was a fourth-round pick by the Cardinals back in 2015. A fast riser through the minors, he made his MLB debut in 2017 and slugged 25 homers in 108 games en route to a second place finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting that season. That led St. Louis to lock DeJong up long-term, signing him to a six-year extension that ran through the 2023 campaign and included club options for 2024 and ’25. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, regression almost immediately began to take hold for DeJong. After a few years as a league average hitter who still managed to offer solid power and good defense at shortstop, his offensive numbers began to fall off starting in the shortened 2020 season. After hitting just .196/.280/.351 over the 2020-22 seasons, DeJong bounced back to a roughly league-average level in 2023 across 81 games for the Cardinals.

That was enough to make him a trade asset for the rebuilding Cards, and he was swapped to the Blue Jays in a minor trade just before the trade deadline as protection against injury for shortstop Bo Bichette. Unfortunately, DeJong went an atrocious 12-for-93 over the final two months of the season while playing in Toronto and San Francisco. That .129/.128/.183 slash line in a nearly 100 plate appearance sample tanked whatever value he might have recouped prior to free agency, and DeJong wound up signing with the White Sox on a $1.75MM guarantee. DeJong managed to put together a decent season for Chicago (and Kansas City) in 2024, with 24 homers and a 96 wRC+ across 139 games that saw him split time between third base and shortstop.

While DeJong’s numbers improved, his prospects in free agency did not. Last offseason he was once again relegated to signing with a rebuilding club, and his $1MM guarantee from the Nationals clocked in even lower than the one he received from the White Sox the previous year. This time, however, DeJong’s season was derailed by an errant pitch that struck him in the face, fracturing his nose and causing him to miss ten weeks. He returned to the Nats’ bench mix in July but did not turn in especially inspiring results. The veteran ended 2025 with a 76 wRC+ in 208 trips to the plate and returned to free agency looking for a chance to bounce back.

Now that he’s with the Yankees, DeJong figures to compete for a spot in what could be a crowded bench mix for the Yankees. Amed Rosario and backup catcher J.C. Escarra figure to fill two of the four spots on the club’s bench, meaning DeJong will compete with Oswaldo Cabrera, Jorbit Vivas, and Braden Shewmake for those last two spots on the bench. The Yankees’ bench figures to get squeezed even more with time. After all, if the team winds up re-signing Cody Bellinger or otherwise adding an outfielder to the roster, that would push Jasson Dominguez to the bench. Likewise, the eventual return of Anthony Volpe to the roster when he completes his shoulder rehab figures to push Jose Caballero into a bench role. That leaves a relatively narrow window for DeJong to make the Yankees’ roster, though injuries and trades could theoretically create space for DeJong to find a role.

Looking At The Yankees’ Internal Bullpen Options

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The Yankees’ bullpen has seen a lot of turnover this offseason. Devin Williams and Luke Weaver departed in free agency, both later signing with the Mets. The club non-tendered Jake Cousins, Scott Effross, Mark Leiter Jr., and Ian Hamilton. Jonathan Loaisiga saw his club option declined, while Allan Winans was released to pursue an opportunity in Japan.

The club did pick up their option on lefty Tim Hill and re-sign Ryan Yarbrough and Paul Blackburn as depth pieces. Still, the bullpen looks thinner than last year behind Fernando Cruz, Camilo Doval, and closer David Bednar. What options do the Yankees have in the system at present? Let’s take a look at the possibilities.

Jake Bird

Along with Bednar and Doval, Bird was one of three key bullpen acquisitions that the Yankees made at the 2025 trade deadline. Unfortunately, he was the least productive of the three. Bird made three appearances in early August, allowing six earned runs on four hits, two home runs, and two unintentional walks in just two innings. On August 5, New York optioned him to Triple-A, where he stayed for the remainder of the season.

Bird has pitched 232 1/3 big-league innings with a 4.76 ERA since debuting in 2022. He owns a career 21.1% strikeout rate and a 9.8% walk rate, although he upped his strikeout rate to an above-average 26.6% in 55 1/3 innings in 2025. In addition to the strikeouts, he has a 70th-percentile groundball rate that could play up with strong infield defense from Ryan McMahon, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Anthony Volpe (if he regains his Gold Glove-caliber defense following shoulder surgery). Bird also has a plus sweeper and curveball according to Statcast, though he’ll need to improve his sinker (-6 run value) if he plans to compete for middle- and high-leverage innings.

Brent Headrick

The Yankees claimed Headrick off waivers from the Twins in February 2025. He was shuffled between Triple-A and the majors, pitching 23 big-league innings in 17 appearances before ending the year on the injured list with a left forearm contusion. The results were serviceable. Headrick posted a 3.13 ERA with similar peripherals and struck out 32.6% of hitters against a 7.6% walk rate. That said, despite being a left-handed pitcher, he showed pretty drastic reverse platoon splits in 2025, allowing a .922 OPS with four home runs to lefty batters compared to a .484 OPS against righties.

Headrick is primarily a fastball-slider pitcher. His fastball has slightly-below-average velocity, and he allowed a 50.0% hard-hit rate against the pitch in 2025. His slider could be a useful pitch, as he struck out 44.4% of hitters on the pitch in a limited sample this year. At present, with Yarbrough figuring to start the year in the rotation, Headrick is the only lefty in the bullpen aside from Hill. That said, he may be best utilized as a depth arm given his hard-hit rates and struggles against same-handed pitching.

Cade Winquest

The Yankees selected Winquest from the Cardinals’ system in the Rule 5 Draft last month. The 25-year-old righty was an eighth-round pick in 2022 and split the 2025 season between High-A and Double-A. In 106 innings across both levels, Winquest posted a 3.99 ERA with a 23.9% strikeout rate and an 8.5% walk rate. He lowered his ERA from 4.52 in 63 2/3 High-A innings to 3.19 in 42 1/3 innings at Double-A. He also displayed improved control by lowering his walk rate, although his groundball rate declined sharply from 55.6% to 36.7%. As with any Rule 5 pick, it would be a surprise to see Winquest last the entire year on the major-league roster. He would be best used in low-leverage spots.

Yerry De los Santos

De los Santos was shuffled between Triple-A and the majors for most of the year, making 25 big-league appearances with a 3.28 ERA in 35 2/3 innings. On the plus side, he got groundballs at a well-above-average rate of 55.4% and allowed just 0.25 HR/9. He used his mid-90s sinker 54.6% of the time to great effect, with a run value of six according to Statcast. On the down side, his strikeout and walk rates were worse than average. His breaking pitches both had negative run values, making it easier for hitters to time up the sinker. De los Santos has one option year remaining, so he’ll continue to function as a depth piece.

Elmer Rodriguez / Chase Hampton

Rodriguez and Hampton were added to the 40-man roster in November for Rule 5 protection. They are the team’s No. 3 and No. 8 prospects according to MLB.com. Hampton missed the entire 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery and only pitched 18 2/3 innings in 2024. He looks like the longer shot to contribute in the big-league bullpen, though his plus fastball and slider combo may earn him looks later in the summer. Rodriguez has the higher upside of the two. He reached Triple-A in 2025 and pitched 150 innings in total across three levels, posting a 2.58 ERA with a 29.0% strikeout rate. Like Hampton, Rodriguez’s fastball and slider both grade as plus pitches. He will be in the mix but will need to work on his control if he is to stick in the majors.

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As things currently stand, the Yankees’ bullpen has a mix of youth and depth options. Of the six players mentioned here, Bird has the most big-league experience, though he’ll need to re-establish himself after a rough introduction to New York over the summer. Rodriguez also has potential given his minor-league track record and high strikeout rate. That said, the other four profile as depth arms or have injury (Hampton) or durability concerns (Winquest). That leaves Bednar and Cruz as the high-leverage options, with Doval having a closer pedigree but coming off his own uneven debut in New York. Overall, the bullpen looks top-heavy and needs at least one or two reinforcements.

In the years since the Aroldis Chapman and Zack Britton deals, the team has been reluctant to sign high-leverage relievers to long-term contracts. They could opt to raise the bullpen’s floor by adding affordable middle relievers with big-league experience, as well as another proven lefty to complement Hill. Andrew Chafin fits the mold and is currently available in free agency. Although he missed time with injuries, he continued to dominate left-handed hitters in 2025, allowing just a .454 OPS against them. If the Yankees want to focus on high-leverage arms, they could look to the trade market instead, perhaps by re-engaging the Cardinals on JoJo Romero.

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