The New York Yankees and New York Mets have been locked into a battle for star outfielder Cody Bellinger over the last week.
After the Mets missed out on signing Kyle Tucker, Bellinger became their perceived top target. However, they have decided to move in a different direction in the outfield.
According to a report from ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan on Tuesday night, New York has agreed to a trade with the Chicago White Sox that will send Luis Robert Jr. to the Mets.
“BREAKING: The New York Mets in agreement on a trade to acquire center fielder Luis Robert Jr. from the Chicago White Sox, sources tell ESPN,” Passan wrote on X. “White Sox will receive two young players from the Mets.”
In exchange for Robert, New York is giving up infielder Luisangel Acuna and right-handed pitcher Truman Pauley.
New York Yankees in Drivers Seat for Cody Bellinger Now
With the Mets choosing to move on with Robert, the Yankees have to be feeling good about bringing Bellinger back. It’s possible another team could jump into the mix and steal Bellinger away, but New York is in a much better place today than it was yesterday.
Who are the other teams that could jump into the mix? One team to watch is the Toronto Blue Jays . They were also interested in Tucker and missed, although their level of interest in Bellinger has not been nearly as high as the two New York teams.
Another team to watch could be the Chicago Cubs . They had reported interest in Bellinger earlier this offseason. Signing Alex Bregman might have taken them out of the running, but they can’t be entirely ruled out.
The San Francisco Giants are also another team who could consider making a push for Bellinger.
According to a report from MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post , Bellinger was weighing offers from the Yankees, Mets, and two other teams on Tuesday.
“Cody Bellinger is weighing interest from the Yankees, Mets and two others,” Heyman wrote.
The Yankees Need Bellinger
In his first season with New York after being acquired from the Cubs in a trade last offseason, Bellinger put in work.
The 30-year-old former MVP played in 152 games for the Yankees. He hit 29 home runs to go along with 98 RBI and a slash line of .272/.334/.480.
Bringing him back is a must for New York. He is a perfect fit in the Yankees’ lineup alongside of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Losing him would be a blow that the team might not be able to recover from in 2026.
Hopefully, this news about the Mets is the first step towards Bellinger re-signing. Only time will tell, but one New York team can likely be ruled out of the running.
Expect to hear more news and rumors about Bellinger in the coming hours and days. He is reportedly coming close to a decision and the Yankees have to be feeling much better about their chances with the Mets trading for Robert.
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