Cody Bellinger market materializing, but Blue Jays may need to beat rivals' offer

The page turns for the Toronto Blue Jays following the conclusion of the Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette sagas. Despite coming up short on both, the Blue Jays still get high marks in the offseason with additions like Dylan Cease and Kazuma Okamoto.

However, Cody Bellinger continues to be an interesting name and pivot for the Blue Jays, especially after striking out on Tucker. With reports of offers from teams like the New York Yankees and New York Mets, it may be in the Blue Jays' best interest to match or exceed what's on the table.

Blue Jays would need to swing for the fences to get Bellinger in Toronto

Bellinger's desired contract has been known for the last few weeks. Reported by USA Today's Bob Nightengale, Bellinger is looking for a deal that's at least seven years. The desired length was revealed after the Yankees reportedly offered a five-year deal worth between $155-$160 million.

Recently, Nightengale also noted that the Yankees are still waiting on Bellinger's decision and that the Blue Jays and Mets are in on the outfielder. MLB insider Bob Klapsich stated the Yankees won't engage in a bidding war for Bellinger's services and are ready to let him walk.

As for the Mets, The Athletic's Will Sammon noted they're ready to offer him a short-term deal after trading Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers. Per Sammon, their short-term deal could look similar to the three-year, $126 million contract Bo Bichette signed.

With that said, now that the Yankees and Mets' contract offers are known, where does that leave the Blue Jays? Toronto isn't a stranger to handing out long-term offers in the offseason. Kyle Tucker reportedly received a 10-year, $350 million offer from the Blue Jays, one he rejected before joining the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Blue Jays' outfield scenario beyond the 2026 season may look a little grim. Daulton Varsho will enter free agency for the first time in his career, and George Springer is also on the final year of his five-year contract that he got back in 2021. Ideally, a player like Bellinger would make sense for the Blue Jays, especially on a long-term deal.

Toronto isn't afraid to dish out the cash for big free agents, especially in the last few years. While Bellinger's price tag may not be as high as a Shohei Ohtani or a Juan Soto, offering slightly more than the Yankees' $155-$160 million offer should (theoretically) be within the Blue Jays' budget.

Bellinger's bat would be a welcome addition to the Blue Jays' lineup. With a 5.1 WAR, Cody hit 29 home runs with 98 RBIs in 152 games. Bellinger's value also comes through his defense, where his fielding value sits in the 91st percentile, per Baseball Savant. He's a two-time All-Star and won the World Series with the Dodgers in 2020.