The New York Yankees have been notably quiet during the offseason, leaving fans and analysts scratching their heads. Instead of making a strong push for top free agents, the team has watched as several high-profile players signed with other teams. This inaction has raised questions about the Yankees’ strategy and their ability to compete in the upcoming season.

Among the notable players who have signed elsewhere are Pete Alonso, a former Mets slugger, and Dylan Cease, a star pitcher from the San Diego Padres. Most recently, Tatsuya Imai, a Japanese League right-hander, also chose to sign with another team. Alonso and Cease both joined the Yankees’ American League East rivals, the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays, respectively, which has made the Yankees’ lack of activity even more frustrating for fans.

Despite this slow start, there are still several high-priority free agents who remain unsigned. For the Yankees, the most pressing need is to bring back Cody Bellinger, the former National League MVP and Rookie of the Year. Bellinger spent the 2025 season with the Yankees but opted out of his contract, which would have paid him $25 million in 2026. The team reportedly made an offer to Bellinger around New Year’s Day, but it appears that the deal was not enough to convince him to return.

Reports suggest that Bellinger is now seeking a long-term deal, potentially spanning up to seven years. This request has made some teams hesitant to commit financially, especially considering Bellinger’s age and the uncertainty of his performance in his late 30s. However, a recent prediction from a Yankees insider, Pete Caldera of NorthJersey.com, offers a different perspective.

Caldera predicts that Bellinger will ultimately sign a five-year, $160 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team that drafted him in 2013. According to Caldera, Bellinger will wait until just three weeks before spring training begins to make his decision, choosing to return to the team where he had his best seasons.

The prediction also suggests that Bellinger will turn down the Yankees, including the New York Mets, who have also shown interest in signing the nine-year veteran. Bellinger’s peak years came with the Dodgers, particularly in 2019 when he won the NL MVP award. That season, he recorded a league-leading WAR of 8.9, an OPS of 1.035, and hit 47 home runs—numbers he hasn’t come close to matching since.

While Bellinger’s time with the Yankees saw him hit 29 home runs last year, largely due to the favorable conditions at Yankee Stadium, the potential $32 million average annual salary offered by the Dodgers might be enough to entice him back to Chavez Ravine.

Despite the Yankees’ efforts, it seems that Bellinger and the team are currently at an impasse. However, an insider has suggested that there may be a “safety net” in place for the Yankees if Bellinger decides to go elsewhere. This development adds another layer of complexity to an already uncertain free agency period.

As the deadline for pitchers and catchers to report approaches, the Yankees will need to act quickly if they want to secure Bellinger or any other key free agents. With the clock ticking, the team faces a critical decision that could shape the future of the franchise.