Latest Yankees-Cody Bellinger report smells like a Scott Boras Hail Mary

Is this the end of the line for Cody Bellinger and the New York Yankees? That's the way it seems on the surface. The club and the star outfielder are at an impasse, according to reports. IBut it's not for lack of trying on the Yankees' part, if we're to believe what's being said.

New York has made two offers to Bellinger, with at least one thought to be up to five years at over $30 million per season. That hasn't been good enough for the 2019 NL MVP, who is reportedly seeking at least seven years with a $37 million AAV.

That's a seismic gap between the two sides, but Bellinger's agent, Scott Boras, digging his heels in, feels like he's throwing a Hail Mary right now rather than making a leverage play.

Cody Bellinger and Scott Boras 'reaching an impasse' with the Yankees seems like a desperation play

Boras and Bellinger can demand whatever they want, but the reality is the market will pay what the market will pay, and the way things have been shaping up, the market isn't on their side.

We've seen three big bats sign so far: Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso, and Alex Bregman, with all three searching for long-term deals and compromising at five years. Schwarber landed a $30 million AAV, Alonso came in at $31 million, and Bregman is the leader in the clubhouse, getting $35 million per.

If anything, Bregman is the best comp for Bellinger. Schwarber is a DH-only player and Alonso provides negative value defensively, while Bregman, like Bellinger, is a true two-way player. The two also feature similar offensive profiles, boasting low strikeout rates and questionable exit velocities despite above average home run tallies.

The market, it seems, has spoken as to the value of these veteran hitters, and it doesn't extend beyond five years. Maybe Bellinger continues to wait it out, hoping that Kyle Tucker signing can change his calculation. Bellinger is at least two years younger than all of Bregman, Alinso and Schwarber, so you never know how things can change.

When and if that happens, perhaps the leverage pendulum swings in his favor. Until then, it doesn't look like Boras is going to be able to deliver on his client's wishes.

There is no shortage of suitors for Bellinger, but they're all in the same boat as free agency has moved at a glacial pace for most of the winter.

At the end of the day, even if things look bleak now, Bellinger is the best fit for the Yankees, and the Yankees are the best fit for Bellinger. He and his camp are going to try to pull a rabbit out of their hats, but once they realize this ploy is doomed to fail, it shouldn't surprise to see both sides reunite on reasonable terms.