Report: Yankees' Bellinger to opt out of $25M player option

Cody Bellinger is set to hit free agency in the offseason.

The New York Yankees outfielder will opt out of his $25-million player option for the 2026 season to test the open market, a source told Jorge Castillo of ESPN.

The Chicago Cubs originally signed Bellinger to a three-year, $80-million deal, which included opt-out clauses after the first and second seasons, in February 2024.

The Yankees traded for the 2019 NL MVP and two-time All-Star last December.

Bellinger slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 homers, 98 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases to go along with a 4.9 fWAR over 152 regular-season games. He added another long ball and four RBIs and recorded a .651 OPS across seven playoff contests before the Toronto Blue Jays eliminated the Yankees in the ALDS.

The 30-year-old was excellent in the field, finishing in the 93rd percentile for outs above average, 91st percentile in arm value, and 83rd percentile in arm strength.