One of the New York Yankees' top hitters is set to test the open market after the team's ALDS elimination.
Outfielder Cody Bellinger is planning to opt out of his contract with the Yankees and become a free agent, ESPN's Jorge Castillo reported on Friday.
Bellinger, 30, was acquired by the Yankees in an off-season trade that sent pitcher Cody Poteet to the Chicago Cubs.
He signed a three-year, $80-million contract with the Cubs ahead of the 2024 season, but the deal came with a player option worth $25 million for the 2026 season, meaning he can hit free agency sooner and sign a bigger contract elsewhere.
In his lone year with the Yankees, Bellinger put up .272/.334/.480 batting splits with 29 home runs, 98 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.
However, he wasn't as productive in the Yankees' post-season run, batting only .214 with a .651 OPS and one home run in seven outings.
The Scottsdale, Ariz., native was named NL MVP in 2019 while playing for the Dodgers but struggled mightily in the three following seasons in Los Angeles before joining the Cubs via free agency ahead of the 2023 campaign. He won the World Series with the Dodgers in 2020.
He has since enjoyed a career resurgence in his two seasons in Chicago and one in New York, batting .281 with a .815 OPS and 73 home runs. He won the Silver Slugger in 2023, his first campaign with the Cubs.
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