Yankees Rumors: Mets already expected to upend NYY's offseason again

It looks like history will repeat itself again, though this time on a slightly smaller scale. Even with the New York Yankees' baffling decision to extend the qualifying offer to Trent Grisham, the club is expected to have serious interest in reuniting with Cody Bellinger. There's a problem, though. The competition will be fierce.

The New York Mets are also expected to be in hot pursuit of Bellinger, setting the stage for another hotly contested battle in the Big Apple. The bidding won't get as crazy as it did a year ago for Juan Soto, but the Mets' deep pockets could make this an uncomfortable position for the Yankees.

The Mets could once again threaten to steal a top-tier outfielder from the Yankees thanks to their reported interest in Cody Bellinger

This is all nothing new for the Mets, who were rumored to have interest in Bellinger once he hit free agency all the way back in August. In many ways, he's the perfect fit for their ball club.

After a playoff-less finish to 2025, even with Soto in tow, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns mandated that run prevention would be the club's top priority this offseason. Bellinger could solve that problem on multiple fronts for them.

First, the Mets' starting corner outfielders, Soto and Brandon Nimmo, are statuesque in the field. Soto posted -7 defensive runs saved and -12 outs above average in right in 2025. Nimmo was a bit better in left, with 3 DRS and 0 OAA, but going into his age-33 season, average-at-best is his ceiling with the glove.

The Mets could also look at Bellinger as a Pete Alonso replacement. While first base is not a premium defensive position, Alonso is notably poor there. Bellinger would be a substantial upgrade defensively at the cold corner, and after the Mets' hardline stance with Alonso a year ago, it seems unlikely they'll shell out a long-term deal to him this winter.

Therefore, Bellinger would give them a great deal of flexibility. They could sign him to play center and either reunite with Alonso or look at alternatives like Josh Naylor or Japanese stars Kazuma Okamoto or Munetaka Murakami. They could also look at third base instead of first as the place to upgrade, and make a run at Alex Bregman.

Or, they could sign him to play first base, and then target a different center fielder, though that would likely come on the trade market.

Simply put, the Mets are, at minimum, a real threat to drive up Bellinger's price tag thanks to their deep pockets. But also, given their needs, they might operate with more urgency in their pursuit of him than the Yankees, resulting in yet another heist for the little brother in Queens.