Reports say Cody Bellinger is seeking a $180 million contract, but the Yankees are confident he won't repeat Soto's departure.

Over the last two years, the Mets have consistently taken players from the Yankees, with the headline move being the record 15-year, $765 million contract for Juan Soto last year. Now, Cody Bellinger is reportedly among the Mets’ targets. In response, New York Post senior reporter Jon Heyman noted that the Yankees are confident in retaining Bellinger and preventing him from joining the Mets.

Bellinger, with his excellent defense and revived hitting, posted a 5.1 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) in 2025, his highest since his 2019 MVP season. After the season, he opted out of his contract to become a free agent but has yet to sign with any team.

Although Kyle Tucker’s WAR of 4.6 is slightly lower than Bellinger’s, his more consistent hitting has made him the top outfielder on the free-agent market. Reports say Tucker is seeking an 11-year, $418 million deal, while Bellinger’s target is a 6-year, $180 million contract.

Yankees beat reporter Jack Curry mentioned that no team has yet come close to meeting Bellinger’s asking price. Analyst Michael Kay suggested that agent Scott Boras might wait until Tucker’s deal is finalized before crafting a negotiation strategy for Bellinger.

Jon Heyman from the New York Post emphasized that the Yankees have made Bellinger a priority and are very confident he won’t leave like Soto did to join the Mets. Yankees captain Aaron Judge is also a strong advocate for re-signing Bellinger.