Yankees Should Prioritize Kyle Tucker Contract Over Cody Bellinger amid MLB Rumors

The New York Yankees arguably have the MLB's best overall hitter in Aaron Judge.

In order to truly return to Bronx Bomber status, though, they need to put more big bats around him.

They'll have that option in free agency. Several premium position players are up for grabs, and the Pinstripes are seldom scared off by the big price tags attached to them.

And yet, for now at least, it sounds as if the Yankees aren't planning on a full-scale pursuit of 28-year-old, four-time All-Star Kyle Tucker, the top free agent on the market. Instead, they are reportedly "prioritizing Cody Bellinger," per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

That feels like a miscalculation. Look, Bellinger is a nice player, and, per Heyman, "he'd like to return," but the reporter added that "there's no sense [Bellinger's free agency] will go quickly."

In other words, if the Yankees are committed to being in the Bellinger market, they should probably plan for an extended stay there. They should also prepare for the possibility that a bidding war to sign him could get crowded with big-spenders. Per Heyman, "some Dodgers folks like him."

So, there could be an opportunity cost in New York potentially putting all of its eggs into the Bellinger basket. Because the time spent waiting for his decision could be awfully costly if other free agents start coming off the board.

There are players worth that kind of wait. Bellinger just probably isn't one of them.

He is when he's on top of his game, but there's a bit too much volatility in his production. He's had some monster seasons—none bigger than his 47-homer, 15-steal MVP effort in 2019—but there are others in which he's been a drag in batting average and a non-factor in the power department.

Tucker, an All-Star in each of the past four seasons, doesn't see those same swings on his stat sheet.

He might encounter availability issues from time to time, but when he plays, he almost always produces. Including his 2025 campaign, he's had at least 22 homers and 25 steals in three of the past four seasons. He has also held together a strong .272/.366/.502 over this stretch while generally being regarded as a plus defender (though his defense has regressed a bit of late).

He is, quite simply, a superior player to Bellinger. Tucker makes better, more consistent contact, he provides more value as a baserunner and he's been the superior run producer.

If the Yankees are serious about snapping a World Series drought that dates back to 2009, they should be stockpiling talent wherever they can find it. Prioritizing Bellinger over Tucker is the wrong way to go about that.

New York could (and should) have interest in both, but it needs to reorder its pecking order if that's the case.

Tucker will, without a doubt, cost more to sign, but there's a reason for that. He's the best player on the market. And the Yankees need the best talent available if they're going to assemble a championship window around Judge, who is 33 years old and won't hold the best-hitter-on-the-planet title forever.

If New York gives Tucker its full attention and comes up short, that's fine. It can always pivot back to Bellinger. But that has to be the order of business. Starting with a Bellinger pursuit and letting someone else land Tucker's talents would be not only baffling, but the kind of flawed thinking that could lead to the Yankees coming up empty again next season.