When the offseason ends, everybody is going remember the Cody Bellinger saga. Everybody is going to remember how Scott Boras and Cody Bellinger were playing with the market, asking for an insane price. But for now, it is just Scott Boras and his thinking that has come into question.

“Does Cody Bellinger want more, or does Scott Boris want more?” said Jim Riley. “Five for 155 guaranteed with no deferrals is something Cody Bellinger has to do coming off of what his off-seasons have been.”

The Yankees and Cody Bellinger reached an impasse despite a 5-year offer near $30 million annually. Bellinger hit .272 with 29 homers, a .334 OBP, and .480 slugging during the 2025 season. New York added opt-outs, signing bonuses, and no deferrals while holding firm on years of length. That stance reflects caution after playoff output of .214, 1 homer, and 4 RBIs total.

Boras and Bellinger are pushing seven years, exceeding New York’s preference despite market signals this winter. Fans widely believe Boras drives the leverage, citing similar standoffs with Snell and Montgomery this offseason. The Yankees offered 5 years at $30–32 AAV, mirroring recent Alonso and Schwarber deals signed.

Cody Bellinger declined a $25 million 2026 option, betting on length rather than certainty this winter market.

The comparison to Kyle Tucker sharpens pressure, as elite alternatives remain available through talks elsewhere. Meanwhile, Scott Boras’ history includes inflated asks preceding shorter outcomes, including Bellinger’s $80 million Cubs return. Across baseball, teams resist bidding alone after costly contracts like Strasburg’s $245 million deal, signed.

As talks linger before Spring Training, the numbers explain caution, not indifference, from New York.

Bellinger’s fit in Yankee Stadium was clear, with 18 homers and a .909 home OPS. He covered left, center, and right fields extensively, adding first base defense when needed there. Those contributions underpin New York’s firm ceiling, balancing risk with performance and roster depth internally.

Whether Boras yields or Bellinger waits, the stalemate reflects baseball’s evolving free agency reality today.

When the dust settles, Cody Bellinger’s market will be defined more by restraint than leverage. Scott Boras tested the ceiling again, but the Yankees refused to negotiate in silence. In the end, numbers spoke louder than ambition, and New York stayed disciplined firmly.

Cody Bellinger’s wife gives her view on the current offseason

This saga has already tested patience, leverage, and arithmetic, so it was only a matter of time before the silence broke differently. With negotiations stalled and the New York Yankees holding firm, the conversation finally drifted off spreadsheets. Now Cody Bellinger’s situation gets reframed through a personal lens, as his wife, Chase Carter, offers her perspective on an offseason that refuses to move quietly.

Cody Bellinger’s free agency has stretched into mid-January, reflecting a slow market despite his rebound production. After posting a .307 average, 26 homers, and 4.4 WAR in 2023, demand stayed cautious. The Yankees offered roughly five years at over $30 million annually, but negotiations stalled again.

As talks lingered, fans searched for movement, finding it unexpectedly through Chase Carter’s Instagram story.

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Carter posted a photo with Bellinger and wrote, “My dry January has turned very wet.” The caption arrived as Bellinger weighed longer-term expectations near the $36 to $37 million annual range. That timing added a personal layer to negotiations, without confirming progress or signaling agreement yet. For fans tracking every detail, the post underscored how unresolved talks still shape Bellinger’s winter.

Cody Bellinger’s market remains stalled, shaped by performance metrics, contract math, and teams guarding leverage. Chase Carter’s Instagram post did not move negotiations, but it shifted attention where silence lived. Until numbers align, the offseason will speak louder through captions than contracts, quietly testing patience.