Dodgers checkmated Yankees well before boring Cody Bellinger reunion

It took Cody Bellinger and the Yankees three-fourths of the offseason to figure out what everyone already knew: he was going to end up back in the Bronx. On Wednesday, he signed a five-year, $162.5 million deal with New York to end what's been a needlessly protracted saga.

The Dodgers were probably loosely interested in Bellinger at some point, as rumors suggested, but his long back-and-forth with the Yankees was based on his and Scott Boras' stubbornness on the length of the deal. The Dodgers would never have been willing to give him more than four years — five at an absolute stretch — so a reunion always seemed unlikely.

And, of course, the Dodgers signed Kyle Tucker, which officially declared all Dodgers-Bellinger rumors dead in the water.

Bellinger also gets a $20 million signing bonus, a full no-trade clause, and opt-outs after the second and third seasons. His deal is front-loaded so that he'll make about half of his promised total ($82.5 million) in his two guaranteed years.

Yankees fans are probably relieved that they didn't lose what everyone has viewed as a sure thing, but the reality has to come crashing down on them sooner rather than later: this doesn't move the needle for New York at all.

Yankees' Cody Bellinger re-signing still leaves them playing catch-up with the Dodgers

The Yankees' offseason has been all about bringing people back. Bellinger, Trent Grisham (on an ill-advised decision to give him the qualifying offer, betting he would turn it down), Amed Rosario, Ryan Yarbrough, and Paul Blackburn. The only new face on their roster is pitcher Ryan Weathers, who they acquired in a trade with the Marlins earlier this month, and who failed to inspire more confidence in the pitching staff.

And getting Bellinger back creates an outfield logjam of the Yankees' own making (see: the aforementioned QO gaffe with Grisham). They have Bellinger, Grisham, Aaron Judge, and Jasson Domínguez, with zero air for top prospect Spencer Jones, who's still waiting to get his debut.

The Yankees were clearly enamored by their 2025 roster and believe they can run it back — but actually get past the ALDS this time.

From an outsider's perspective, it just doesn't look like enough, not with the Blue Jays having made the strides they've made this offseason (even though they didn't get Tucker), and even the Orioles getting serious. The Red Sox, the last team to sign a major league free agent this offseason, increased their threat level when they signed Ranger Suarez. The Rays are always a wild card that shouldn't be underestimated.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers are sitting pretty. Hats off to Belli for getting his bag, but we're all good in LA.