Whether or not the Yankees sign Juan Soto, they should try to acquire Cody Bellinger from the Cubs.
If the Yankees have Soto, they will try to be frugal at first base (Ben Rice) and/or left field (Jazon Dominguez). If Bellinger can play those positions, the Yankees won't have to rely on both inexperienced players on a championship-or-lost team.
If the Yankees don't have Soto, Bellinger could be a Plan B left-handed pitcher, putting Christian Walker at first base and spending big on either Corbin Burnes in the rotation or Willie Adams at third base. The idea is that even if they lose Soto's batting genius, they will be able to make up for it overall. Bellinger's defense may be down from his prime, but he's still a better center fielder than Aaron Judge, so he could move back to right field.
The Cubs could trade either Bellinger ($27.5 million in 2025, $25 million player option in 2026, or $5 million buyout) or Seiya Suzuki (two years, $36 million) and use that money elsewhere. Chicago is determined to reallocate it to other locations, said a person familiar with the thinking. he told the Post.
