Yankees bring – Cody Bellinger’s return on a five-year deal has looked like the Yankees’ best offseason move so far, especially after Kyle Tucker’s slower start with the Dodgers. Through early June 2026, Bellinger leads MLB left fielders in fWAR and is producing better offens
When Cody Bellinger steps into the batter’s box in pinstripes, it’s not just the Yankees’ season they’re watching—it’s a decision that could define their offseason.
New York had two outfield targets in free agency: Cody Bellinger and Kyle Tucker. Tucker ultimately signed a massive deal with the Dodgers, and the Yankees then brought Bellinger back on a five-year deal. Once Tucker came off the board, bringing back Bellinger became an easier choice. The Yankees had already targeted him earlier when the Chicago Cubs made him available following the 2024 season.
Bellinger’s profile was seen as a fit for Yankee Stadium’s short porch in right field, and his high air-pull rate—23.2% for his career—was described as tailor-made for that kind of environment.
That gamble is now reading like a payoff. Bellinger is on track for potentially his third career All-Star appearance, and his first with the Yankees. He also leads all MLB left fielders in fWAR (2.3), driven by the kind of all-around value the Yankees have been banking on.
Heading into the game on June 5, Bellinger’s line is .273/.373/.468 with eight home runs and a 136 wRC+. That wRC+ is 26 points higher than Tucker’s 110.
The gap widens when defense is included. The Yankees’ left fielder is currently at +15 Defensive Runs Saved and +3 Outs Above Average. Just Baseball posted on X that Bellinger’s 135 OPS+ is the second-highest mark for any player with at least +10 Defensive Runs Saved this season—only Dodgers’ center fielder Andy Pages (137) is higher.
The Yankees didn’t just get better production from Bellinger early in 2026. They also kept the salary math in a range that makes their choice feel sharper. Bellinger is on a deal worth $162.5 million with no deferrals, which comes out to about $31.5 million per season.
That’s barely more than half of what Tucker got.
Ahead of the offseason, Tucker was widely seen as the stronger free agent option. From 2021-2025, Tucker ranked 10th in fWAR (23.4) and wRC+ (143). The expectation was that Bellinger’s market wouldn’t really take shape until after Tucker came off the board. That’s exactly how it played out—Bellinger signed 11 days after Tucker.
But through the first two months of 2026, the results have flipped that early expectation. While Bellinger has been a key contributor for the Yankees offensively and defensively. Tucker’s start with the Dodgers has been uneven. Tucker has been 0 Defensive Runs Saved and -3 Outs Above Average in right field.
His production hasn’t matched his contract either. Tucker dealt with injuries and a decline in performance in the second half with the Cubs, slashing just .239/.360/.378 since the All-Star break, good for a 115 wRC+. That drop carried over into his first year with the Dodgers.
The numbers for Tucker in 2026 have still landed him on the right side of “solid”—but not the right side of “worth it” for a player described here as the highest-paid by AAV. Even with a strong batting profile on paper. a season line that includes a 110 wRC+ and defensive marks of 0 DRS and -3 OAA doesn’t fit the level of expectation.
And the money matters when the field narrows and the stakes rise. For the Yankees, Bellinger is costing them $31.5 million per season on a $162.5 million deal, while Tucker’s contract comes in at roughly double that.
There’s also the chess move that ties the two careers together. Bellinger and Tucker are linked forever by the offseason trade in which the Cubs paid a premium on the trade market to land Tucker. pushing Bellinger out of a role. Eventually, the Yankees swooped in and landed their left fielder on a discount.
If the Yankees and Dodgers both finish as World Series favorites—as they’re viewed right now—then this comparison won’t fade. It will sharpen. In that kind of matchup, the question won’t be whether the Yankees made a smart move in bringing Bellinger back.
It will be how much they gained by doing it.
Right now, with Bellinger outperforming Tucker in both offensive production and defensive value through early June 2026, the Yankees are already looking like the team that got the better deal.
New York Yankees Cody Bellinger Kyle Tucker free agency Dodgers Chicago Cubs Yankee Stadium short porch fWAR wRC+ Defensive Runs Saved Outs Above Average OPS+