Compared to the rest of the league, the Boston Red Sox mostly held Cody Bellinger in check in 2025, limiting the New York Yankees' slugger to a meager .239 batting average and .577 OPS in 12 regular-season games. He also slumped against them in the postseason, posting a .583 OPS in the AL Wild Card Round.
So, when news broke that the Yankees were going all out to re-sign Bellinger, it didn't register as much of an American League East threat, especially in the face of the Bronx Bombers' painfully slow offseason otherwise.
However, there is one detail in his new contract that is sure to draw the ire of Red Sox fans: Bellinger received a full no-trade clause.
There's no use in reliving the Alex Bregman saga that left the Sox without a starting third baseman one year after entering Opening Day with two of them, but Bellinger's deal is a painful reminder of how badly Boston messed up its own free agency pursuits.
Cody Bellinger's deal with the Yankees is for five years and $162.5 million, sources tell ESPN. There are opt-outs after the second and third season, a $20M signing bonus and a full no-trade clause.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 21, 2026
Red Sox's lack of loyalty exposed after Yankees give Cody Bellinger no-trade clause
For those out of the loop, Bregman rightfully asked the Red Sox for a no-trade clause on a new deal, protecting himself from the same fate that befell Rafael Devers and Mookie Betts. When the front office refused, the third baseman turned to the Chicago Cubs, who were more than happy to oblige that request. The rest, as they say, is history.
Bellinger, who was kicked to the curb by the Dodgers after two bad years (despite winning the 2019 NL MVP award) and then again by the Cubs after a mediocre 2024 campaign, naturally sought some more security this time around. Credit where it's due, the Yankees were willing to go above and beyond to keep him happy (and in New York).
All that being said, this is a shocking price to pay for someone the Cubs salary dumped just last winter. Yes, the 30-year-old outfielder racked up 4.9 fWAR behind a 125 wRC+ and superb defensive metrics last season, but that was also only the second time since 2019 that Bellinger was even 13% better than league average at the plate. This is a big bet on an aging player with a laundry list of injury issues.
Of course, the Yankees sort of backed themselves into a corner and had to do this, seeing as their biggest offseason move prior was trading for Ryan Weathers. Focus exclusively on their free-agent signings, and them handing a non-roster invite Paul DeJong registered as their boldest transaction.
They are effectively running it back with the same roster that barely skated past the Red Sox in the postseason last year. Their loyalty to a key figure in Bellinger deserves to be commended, but it's also hard to figure out how the Yankees have improved this offseason... if they have at all.