Cody Bellinger's decision to return to Yankees should annoy Guardians fans

There were plenty of times this offseason where it looked like the Yankees and Cody Bellinger were set to head their separate ways. 

But in the end, he made a decision that will likely annoy almost every Guardians fan. After a months long staring contest, Bellinger has reportedly agreed to a five-year, $162.5 million contract with the Yankees that will keep him in pinstripes for the foreseeable future. 

Although it was nice to see Yankees fans squirm while Bellinger’s free agency fate hung in the balance, his decision to head back to New York means the Yankees are annoyingly going to be good again in 2026. 

Cody Bellinger's decision to go back to Yankees should annoy Guardians fans

The Yankees’ decision to trade with the Cubs for Bellinger before the 2025 season was one of the best moves any team made in baseball in that time frame, as he ended up slashing.272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI. 

Bellinger hit .250 in six games against the Guardians, and mashed a two-run home run in June in the team’s final matchup of the season. 

Although Bellinger isn’t the same kind of Guardians killer as teammates Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, he’s a dangerous hitter who helps lengthen an already dangerous Yankees lineup. 

The Yankees are going to need as much from him as possible next season too considering it looks like the Blue Jays have added a ton of talent and the Red Sox have retooled their rotation after a disappointing 2025. 

Meanwhile, the Guardians haven’t added any big league players to their outfield picture despite the position being a clear area of need for 2026. Although they have some promising prospects who should make things a bit better in 2026, they don’t have a proven veteran with Bellinger’s skillset. 

Steven Kwan is arguably a better overall player than Bellinger, but Bellinger’s legit power is something the Guardians don’t have on the grass (though Chase DeLauter has a chance to change that). 

As a part of the deal, Bellinger will have opt outs after the 2027 and ‘28 seasons, which means that he’s a long-term part of the Yankees’ future. Last season he felt a little bit like a hired gun in the Yankees’ largely transactional roster picture. But that’s no longer the case. 

Even though Bellinger wouldn’t have fit into the Guardians’ picture due to his age and price tag, it still stings to watch the Yankees reinforce their outfield while the Guardians’ front office has largely say on the sidelines.