Yankees' leaked Cody Bellinger offer tells you exactly what they think about Kyle Tucker

The New York Yankees' Cody Bellinger pursuit is either hitting its final stages or hitting a wall. There no longer seems to be a middle ground after the Yankees appeared to go on the offensive Thursday, leaking offer numbers and pulling all the public strings they could with just over a month to go before spring training.

A few hours after Jon Heyman noted that the Yankees might start more seriously considering Bo Bichette — tough timing, just before the Phillies became the favorite for his services — Brendan Kuty of The Athletic published some definitive figures. The Yankees' current offer for Bellinger sits over $30 million in average annual value; whoever leaked those numbers also leaked that Bellinger and Scott Boras are still pushing for a seven-year deal. It might come, but there's no evidence it will. If it does materialize, it won't be from the Yankees.

While we still have no idea how many years at $30M per the Yankees have offered, it stands to reason that it's likely four or five. If it's four, their line in the sand is further away from the midpoint than we would've expected, and this might dissolve quickly. If it's five, they could find common ground. Either way, they're willing to make Bellinger MLB's fourth or fifth highest-paid outfielder, with Mookie Betts sitting in the No. 4 spot at $30.4 million per season.

That begs the question: if they're willing to get to that level of AAV for Bellinger, then why wouldn't they offer the same deal (or shorten it/stuff the AAV even higher) for Kyle Tucker? Well ... it's never been clearer that they simply ... do not want to do that. There's something standing in the way. It could be the Yankees' preference. It could be Tucker's aversion to the Yankees. Regardless, they've seen something they don't like, and it's best to eliminate that possibility from your mind as you examine the rest of the offseason.

Yankees' Cody Bellinger offer shows they'll never pivot to Kyle Tucker

Joel Sherman's registered fear that, somewhere in league circles, there is trepidation about Tucker's motivation to play the game doesn't seem quite so important as the number of years attached to his offers shrinks. Still, even with a less lengthy timeline necessary, the Yankees still can't get there for Tucker — but they can get there for Bellinger, as we now know.

Some fans can't stomach going to the financial stratosphere for Bellinger, but not Tucker. After the latest leak, though, it's not a fight worth fighting. The Yankees' silence in Tucker's market has told you all you need to know.