Now what?
The main piece of business that loomed over the Yankees’ entire offseason is finally taken care of, with Cody Bellinger agreeing to a five-year, $162.5 million contract to remain in pinstripes.
A reunion made too much sense for anything else to happen, despite the negotiations lingering until there were just three weeks left before pitchers and catchers report to spring training. The Yankees held tight on their five-year offer, not wanting to bid against themselves, and were rewarded for it despite Bellinger’s camp trying to hold out for a seven-year deal. Yes, there are opt-outs for Bellinger, but if he actually exercises one, it means he will have crushed it in pinstripes, which is good for both sides.
But now there is the fallout from Bellinger re-signing, which had been on hold during the two months of “will-he, won’t-he” waiting for a deal. Most notably: What does this mean for Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones, both in the short term and long term? What’s the next move to improve the roster? And what happened to the lineup being too left-handed already?
