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By Jon Vankin
Contributing Sports Writer
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Just a week after losing Juan Soto to the New York Mets, who handed him the largest contract in major league history, the New York Yankees made a major trade for a former MVP outfielder to replace Soto on the roster. Cody Bellinger came over from the Chicago Cubs in a deal for righty pitcher Cody Poteet and cash.
Bellinger was thrilled to become a Yankee. His agent, Scott Boras, reportedly said that his client was "driving me crazy. He wants to be a Yankee."
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Bellinger himself later said, “Everything about it excites me – the organization, the fans, the stadium, the atmosphere."
But apparently he wasn't too excited, because after a single season the 30-year-old, nine-year veteran will opt out of his contract and hit the free agent market for the third time in his career, according to media reports. According to one estimate, Bellinger could command a five-year, $140 million deal on the open market. The sports business site Spotrac sees Bellinger's market value as even higher than that: six years at $182.7 million.
As for the Yankees, according to a report published Thursday by Yankees analyst Esteban Quiñones of Pinstripes Nation, they may already be ready to "pivot" to "alternatives" in the outfield for 2026. The name at the top of the list, according to Quiñones, may be Cleveland Guardians three-time Gold Glove-winning left fielder Steven Kwan.
As Quiñones points out, however, a pivot to Kwan -- an All-Star both this season and last -- would indeed represent an entirely different direction for the Yankees' offensive approach.
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"The contrast between the two players is striking. Bellinger brings star power, left-handed pop, and postseason experience, along with the versatility to play both first base and the outfield, " the Pinstripes Nation scribe wrote. "Kwan, on the other hand, offers reliability and precision. He struck out just 11 percent of the time in 2025 while batting .293 with a .356 on-base percentage. His disciplined approach at the plate and ability to generate contact could complement the Yankees’ power-heavy lineup."
Kwan would also come at a considerably lower price tag than Bellinger. With one year of arbitration eligibility remaining, a mathematical model created by MLB Trade Rumors projects that Kwan will earn $8.8 million in 2026, after collecting $4.2 million from the Guardians in the season just completed.
With his own free agency coming in 2027, signing Kwan would give the Yankees financial flexibility, because acquiring him comes at low cost with no further commitment beyond the upcoming season.
A "pivot" from Bellinger's slugging approach to Kwan's reliability when it comes to putting the ball in play -- in addition to elite defense that saw Kwan lead all MLB left fielders with 22 defensive runs saved this year -- could allow the Yankees to compete for the postseason again next season, while also providing the Bronx Bombers the ability to build for the long term.
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