The Yankees have made their move - and it’s a big one. Cody Bellinger is staying in pinstripes, inking a five-year, $162.5 million deal that includes opt-outs after the second and third seasons, a $20 million signing bonus, and, most notably, a full no-trade clause.
That last detail? It’s sure to sting in Boston.
Now, let’s be clear: Bellinger didn’t exactly light up the Red Sox last season. Across 12 regular-season games, he managed just a .239 batting average and a .577 OPS.
And in the AL Wild Card Round? Even quieter - a .583 OPS.
So on the surface, this might not feel like a game-changing move for the AL East hierarchy.
But the contract’s structure - particularly the full no-trade clause - is where this story really hits home for Red Sox fans. It’s not just about the Yankees locking in a key piece. It’s about what Boston didn’t do - and what that says about the current state of their front office’s approach to player relationships.
The no-trade clause is a symbol of trust, of long-term commitment - something the Red Sox haven’t exactly handed out freely in recent years. Just ask Alex Bregman.
The third baseman reportedly requested a no-trade clause during contract talks with Boston, a move to protect himself from the same fate that saw stars like Rafael Devers and Mookie Betts shipped out. The Sox declined.
Bregman walked. The Cubs welcomed him with open arms, clause included.
So when the Yankees step up and give Bellinger that kind of security - after a rocky few years, no less - it’s a clear contrast. Bellinger, once the toast of the league as the 2019 NL MVP, had hit some serious turbulence.
The Dodgers moved on after two down years. The Cubs let him go after a middling 2024.
But the Yankees saw enough in his bounce-back 2025 campaign - a 4.9 fWAR season with a 125 wRC+ and elite defense - to double down.
Yes, it’s a hefty price tag for a 30-year-old with a checkered injury history and inconsistent offensive production since 2019. But the Yankees didn’t have much choice.
Their offseason had been quiet - too quiet for a team with World Series aspirations. Trading for Ryan Weathers wasn’t moving the needle.
Inviting Paul DeJong to camp on a non-roster deal wasn’t going to sell tickets or convince fans this team had turned a corner.
So they went all in on Bellinger. And while it’s fair to question the long-term upside of the deal, there’s no denying the message it sends: the Yankees are backing their guy. They’re betting on last season’s version of Bellinger being closer to the new norm than a fleeting resurgence.
Meanwhile, Boston’s front office is left facing hard questions. Not just about missing out on Bellinger, but about a broader pattern of hesitancy when it comes to locking in their stars. The Bellinger contract is a reminder - not just of what the Yankees did, but of what the Red Sox didn’t.
And in a division where the margins are razor-thin, those decisions matter.