Why the Yankees Should Not Pursue This Free Agent

Why the Yankees Should Not Pursue This Free Agent

By Derek McAdam

October 17, 2025

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The New York Yankees’ 2025 season ended on a sour note, with the Toronto Blue Jays taking the ALDS in four games and advancing one step closer to the World Series. And as every season ends in New York, the immediate focus turns to how the off-season is going to shape up. The front office, coaching staff and roster rumors were buzzing on social media last Thursday, after Yankee fans had some time to express their frustrations with the team.

And for the Yankees, there are several major free agents they have this off-season. The bullpen is set to lose both Luke Weaver and Devin Williams, neither of which I expect to return in pinstripes. Trent Grisham is also set to test the free agency market after setting several career highs in his contract year. But the biggest free agent that will now hit the market after exercising his 2026 player option is Cody Bellinger.

Bellinger had a very nice 2025 campaign with the Yankees, hitting .272 and slashing 29 home runs with a 5.0 WAR in his 152 games played. His defense, particularly in left field, was very good, but he also provided the Yankees will several options, as he can play any outfield position plus first base. Unlike many hitters in today’s game, Bellinger only struck out 90 times in 588 at-bats this past season.

There is no question that Bellinger is in line for a nice payday, especially since he was slated to get such a large contract after the 2022 season. Unfortunately, his agent is Scott Boras, who has had a tough time nailing down long-term contracts for some of his clients over the past few off-seasons. However, that is likely to change in Bellinger’s favor this time around. The question is whether the Yankees will be the ones giving him that deal or if another team comes in and gives him an offer he cannot refuse.

My stance is that the Yankees are making Bellinger their priority this off-season. He is not a one-dimensional player in any regards and has proven that he can handle life in the Bronx. My concern is that if the Yankees are not able to keep him, they will turn their sights to one of two other free agents.

The first player I think the Yankees will examine will likely be Grisham. The Yankees are familiar with him, as he is familiar with the Bronx. There is no doubt that Grisham will be a cheaper option than Bellinger, but Grisham does not bring as much to the table. He does not hit for average and does not have much speed, although he somehow can make it look effortless covering ground in centerfield.

Grisham had some big moments for the Yankees in 2025, but my biggest concern is whether or not it was a fluke season. While he doubled his season-best home run total from 17 to 34, Grisham is a measly .218 career hitter with a .720 OPS. He did have a career-high in walks last season with 82, but again, he does not have speed and only attempted five stolen bases over the course of 143 games last year.

But for the Yankees, he will come as a much cheaper option than Kyle Tucker, who is one of, if not the, biggest names in free agency this off-season. Tucker’s lone season with the Chicago Cubs ended with a .266 average and 22 home runs. The soon-to-be 29-year old also had a 4.5 WAR and 25 stolen bases in 28 attempts. His .841 OPS also ranked higher than both Bellinger’s and Grisham’s.

With regards to Tucker, there are a few main concerns that I have. First, Tucker has mostly been a right fielder in his MLB career, playing 639 of his 709 career games in right. Either Aaron Judge would have to switch positions, likely to left field, or Tucker would have to move over to left or center field. However, Tucker has not played in left field since 2020 when he was with the Houston Astros, which has a much easier left field to play than Yankee Stadium. I don’t think it would be an issue for Tucker, but at least Bellinger has shown the Yankees he is capable of handling left field in the Bronx.

Second, how much is it going to take to land Tucker? I have seen rumors of contract offers exceeding $400 million, which would definitely be much more than Bellinger gets and a figure that I cannot see the Yankees going that high for, especially given that Tucker has not played in Yankee pinstripes. His contract will be much longer than Bellinger’s, despite him being only about 18 months younger.

Lastly, how much of a distraction would Tucker be to the media given he was on the Astros during a controversial time in the team’s history? Although Tucker did not make his MLB debut until 2018, one year after the electronic sign-stealing scandal took place in Houston, there is still bad blood from many Yankee fans regarding this subject.

Unlike Alex Bregman, who was on that 2017 Astros’ team and is also testing the free agency market this off-season, I don’t see the Yankee fanbase going after Tucker as badly as they would Bregman. At the end of the day, I’m sure either player would be a huge addition to the team and would instantly make this team better, which is what many fans tend to judge players on.

Overall, if the Yankees were to end up signing Tucker to a deal, I wouldn’t be upset about it. Unless they went completely overboard and signed him to a 10-year deal worth $500 million, it would likely be an investment that pays off in the short-term. But I think Bellinger is the safer option for the Yankees, given he will come at a cheaper price, is more flexible in the field, and can put off similar offensive numbers to Tucker.

There are still a couple of weeks until free agency begins, with most of the top names not likely to sign until later in November or even December. There is still a long ways to go and anything can happen. Nonetheless, the Yankees are going to be faced with a big decision this off-season regarding an outfield position.

Let’s see how this saga plays out.