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By Patrick McAvoy
Contributing Sports Writer
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The New York Yankees didn't make it back to the World Series in 2025, but they did show that they can win without Juan Soto.
If you have been following along with New York over the last year, you know the story. Soto was incredible in 2024 with the Yankees and opted to sign with the New York Mets before the 2025 season. Regardless, the Yankees still had a 94-68 record in the regular season. They didn't make a deep playoff run, but there should be hope in the fanbase right now.
After losing Soto, the Yankees responded with a handful of moves, including the acquisition of outfielder/first baseman Cody Bellinger. The move worked out and Bellinger impressed in 2025. Now, he has the chance to opt out of his deal and become a free agent, but FanSided's Robert Murray said that the Yankees "remain in play" to bring him back for the 2026 season and beyond.
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"Cody Bellinger: The trade to the Bronx was maybe the best thing to happen to Bellinger, with the slugger hitting 29 home runs and slashing .272/.334/.480 with an .813 OPS," Murray said. "His 5.0 bWAR was the best he’s posted since his MVP season in 2019. He’ll almost surely opt out of his contract to become a free agent where teams will pursue the 30-year-old, but a reunion with the Yankees should remain in play. Best fits: New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners."
This makes a lot of sense. Bellinger slashed .272/.334/.480 and had 29 homers, 98 RBIs, 13 stolen bases, and 25 doubles in 152 games played. It's hard to find success in New York, but Bellinger did just that quickly in 2025. The Yankees are deep in the outfield right now, but Bellinger is worth bringing back.
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