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The Blue Jays should steer clear of free agent Cody Bellinger
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Photo credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Ben Wrixon
Jan 14, 2026, 11:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 14, 2026, 09:08 EST
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Cody Bellinger remains a free agent as he and the New York Yankees are reportedly at an impasse in their contract negotiations. While the thought of poaching a good player from a division rival may be tempting, the Toronto Blue Jays should steer clear of Bellinger and keep their sights set elsewhere in the hitting market. 
There’s a fit between Bellinger and the Blue Jays on paper. He, like known target Kyle Tucker, is a left-handed hitting outfielder who plays strong defense. He would fit on the roster for all the same reasons as Tucker. The problem is that he isn’t the same calibre of player, but reportedly wants the same calibre of contract this offseason. 
Bellinger slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs in 2025. That offense, coupled with strong play in the outfield, led him to accrue an impressive 4.9 fWAR. It was the second-highest mark of his career, and more than the 4.5 fWAR Tucker posted in 136 games with the Chicago Cubs last season. 
His home-road splits paint a different picture. Bellinger recorded a .909 OPS with 18 home runs at the left-handed hitter’s paradise that is Yankee Stadium, compared to a pedestrian .715 OPS on the road. He was hardly the same player away from New York. 
Bellinger’s underlying metrics are equally as concerning. His 70.1 mph bat speed ranked in just the 20th percentile, while his average exit velocity and barrel rate were in the 24th and 36th percentile, respectively. These are nearly identical to his metrics with the Cubs in 2024, when he recorded a .751 OPS without the benefit of Yankee Stadium’s short porch. 
This would be fine if Bellinger and his agent, Scott Boras, weren’t asking for superstar money. His reported ask of $37 million annually would put him in the same territory as the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Aaron Judge. The Blue Jays shouldn’t even entertain signing Bellinger at that price or anything close to it. 
Tucker should instead be the Blue Jays’ primary target in the hitting market. Much stronger underlying metrics support his production; he would have no trouble putting up great numbers in Toronto or anywhere else. An unlikely reunion with Bo Bichette would also be a much better option, given his age and history with the team.
Cody Bellinger is a great hitter in Yankee Stadium, but a good one at best everywhere else. The Blue Jays shouldn’t be the team that overpays him this offseason.

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