Yankees' Cody Bellinger deal might've forced Dodgers into Kyle Tucker contract

There are some things that New York Yankees fans can gripe about with Cody Bellinger's contract. The inclusion of the opt-outs forced a lot of guaranteed money to the front-end of the deal, and leaves the Yankees potentially holding the bag. On the flip side, the length of the contract could leave New York stuck with a non-superstar caliber player making big money while declining in his mid 30s. However, in comparison to the four-year, $240 million contract the Los Angeles Dodgers gave Kyle Tucker, things could be much worse.

The Yankees welcomed the Dodgers to the Bronx for a weekend series from July 17-July 19, and saw firsthand the lack of impact Tucker has on Los Angeles' lineup. The big-ticket free agent went just 2-for-13 with two strikeouts and grounded into two double plays. Through July 19, Tucker is hitting just .240/.335/.367 on the season. That's a 98 wRC+.

Depending on how you want to calculate AAV, Tucker's contract with the Dodgers is either the highest or the second-highest in MLB history. He has opt-outs after years two and three of the deal, but the way things look now, it looks as if he'll stay for the duration, and it will be a ridiculously poor return on the investment.

The Yankees might have forced LA into the deal with Tucker. There were rumblings that the Dodgers were targeting a reunion with Bellinger, the star outfielder who won the 2017 NL Rookie of the Year and 2019 NL MVP with them, but ultimately saw his tenure in Los Angeles end unceremoniously with a non-tender following the 2022 season.

Now we have confirmation that Los Angeles did have talks with Bellinger over the offseason, and that his top priority was to land with a team that gave him the best shot to win a World Series. One would have thought that'd be the team gunning for a three-peat, but apparently Bellinger felt that coming back to the Bronx gave him the best shot.

The Yankees beating the Dodgers for Corey Bellinger's services likely came down to money

The fact of the matter is likely more nuanced. While winning a ring was Bellinger's stated goal, he obviously wasn't going to settle for significantly less money than he thought he was worth. In the order of operations, Tucker signed with Los Angeles before Bellinger returned to New York.

It was widely reported what the framework was for the Yankees' offer to the star left fielder, so while there were some minor adjustments, Bellinger had a clear number that the Dodgers would need to beat to entice him to sign. They didn't, obviously, and decided that this risky contract for Tucker was the better move.

Now they have egg on their faces. The national media has come out with fluff pieces to paint Tucker as some sort of rare, gritty grinder by taking extra batting practice in hopes of breaking his slump. Newsflash, he's making $60 million a year, taking some extra swings after games is the least he could be doing.

So, while Bellinger might not be a true superstar and will have his slumps, it's become clear that he's the better bet, especially when the differences in money are factored in. He clearly knew how much the Yankees valued him, which helped keep him away from the Dodgers, forcing their hand into overpaying Tucker and making a move they're likely to regret when it's all said and done.

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