The New York Yankees have bad Cody Bellinger news. They are running the risk of losing him in free agency. The 30-year-old was not on the lineup card in Saturday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals due to illness, per manager Aaron Boone. However, that hardly overshadows what has been an outstanding first season in the Bronx. Belly’s defensive presence in left field has been exceptional. This season, we’ve seen him posting an incredible .264 batting average, .799 OPS, 22 home runs, and 71 RBIs. Clearly, the idea of letting him walk is far from ideal.

On one hand, the Yankees have a former MVP veteran who happens to be a team-first guy. On the other, they have the rise or at least the looming presence of two younger outfielders—Spencer Jones and Jason Dominguez, who are viewed as the cornerstones of the Bronx future. Put all of this together and you’ll find Aaron Boone caught in the middle.

Apparently, Dominguez is one of the hottest hitters. His four-hit night against the Blue Jays last month earned him his first start as the team’s leadoff hitter this season the next day against the New York Mets.

Meanwhile, Jones, the No. 4 prospect, has performed impressively in the minor leagues. Currently, he is hitting .289 with a .388 on-base percentage and a .627 slugging percentage between Double-A and Triple-A.

As analyst Chris Gallagher pointed out, “With Spencer Jones coming in and with Jason Dominguez being young, there is a question mark as to if the Yankees are actually going to be willing to pay him. Also, there is a world where Bellinger does take that option, but I highly doubt it. He’s going to try to get a long-term deal after his best season since his MVP year, and that’s the right thing to do if you’re Cody Bellinger.”

It’s all uncertain largely because of Bellinger’s contract structure. The veteran holds an opt-out after the season. Jim Bowden from The Athletic, too, stated that Bellinger has every reason to test the free agency market and chase a long-term deal.

He’s currently making $27.5 million, and next year he could play on a $25 million player option. His market value was projected at six years, $131.5 million by Sportrac projects. That’ll make an average of $21.92 million per season.

It’s still uncertain if the Yankees are actually going to be willing to pay him. It does come down to what is going to happen with the Yankees and Bellinger moving forward.

Could Cody Bellinger make a dramatic cross-town move in the offseason?

Yes! It’s a Juan Soto-like nightmare for the Yankees. Jon Heyman from the New York Post believes that Bellinger has performed well this year, and that could be why he will opt out.

Although Bellinger has time and again expressed his love for the Bronx and the Yankees. But at the same time, the crosstown rivals like him. According to Heyman, Mets’ execs are looking for defense and versatility, and Bellinger has it, plus he is above average at four positions.

When the Mets stole Juan Soto in the last off-season, they learned a lesson. It’s the importance of having a stellar defensive center fielder by his side. Throughout the season, center field has been a crystal problem for the Mets.

Lately, the glove-first Tyrone Taylor has struggled to produce any semblance of offense. It prompted the Mets to trade for Cedric Mullins at this deadline. Moreover, the Mets might also have another opening to fill.

Pete Alonso—the homegrown star—is expected to opt out. He would likely test the free agency market this time. All of that combined means that the Mets could try to bring in Bellinger to stabilize center field.