Jeff Passan Links Blue Jays to Cody Bellinger

[Bryan Jaeger]

With December's Winter Meetings approaching, free agency rumors around the Blue Jays are intensifying. The central question is whether Bo Bichette will be re-signed. If he doesn't return, a significant void arises in the batting order, and urgent solutions will be needed.

Jeff Passan of ESPN reports the Blue Jays want a left-handed hitter to pair with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Kyle Schwarber and Kyle Tucker have been suggested, but they are widely sought after, and each could earn about $34–36 million annually. The Blue Jays may look at less expensive options after losing out on top talent in recent offseasons, including Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, and Juan Soto.

Passan now links the Blue Jays to Cody Bellinger as a more affordable option than Schwarber or Tucker. DiamondCentric projects a six-year, $130 million contract for Bellinger. Last season with the New York Yankees, he hit .272/.334/.480 with 89 runs, 29 home runs, 98 RBIs, an .814 OPS, and a 125 wRC+. He can play any outfield position or first base, though the team values Guerrero's glove at first. George Springer will likely remain the primary designated hitter to stay healthy.

The Blue Jays' outfield is crowded with Nathan Lukes, Daulton Varsho, and Anthony Santander returning. However, with Varsho's and Santander's injury histories, a healthier option would be a smart addition, and Lukes can come off the bench. Bellinger has played at least 130 games in each of the last four seasons. As the World Series showed, the Blue Jays need more offense, and if Bichette doesn't return, Bellinger could fill the resulting production gap.

Featured image courtesy of Brad Penner, Imagn Images.

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[Joltin Joe]

Probably trade an outfielder for starter or bullpen help. If we sign Bellinger 

[Brock Beauchamp]

I don't have much interest in seeing Bellinger on this team, especially at the price he's likely to command this offseason.

[Spanky__99]

Kickin' tires... Jays will be in on everyone.

[mphenhef]

Driving up the price for the Yankees.

[max silver]

18 hours ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I don't have much interest in seeing Bellinger on this team, especially at the price he's likely to command this offseason.

He has pretty remarkable home/away splits to the degree where I believe a 2-3 win season is most likely away from Yankee Stadium.

[Brock Beauchamp]

10 minutes ago, max silver said:

He has pretty remarkable home/away splits to the degree where I believe a 2-3 win season is most likely away from Yankee Stadium.

Agreed. He'll probably be a pretty good player, but nothing like the 5-win player he was in 2025.

[Brownie19]

I must admit - Bellinger has shown a lot of resiliency to get his career back on track since those shoulder injuries.

I'm just not sure I can trust the sustainability.  I do like the power/contact ability and the fact he's a great athlete who can play multiple positions though.  

[John_Havok]

48 minutes ago, Brownie19 said:

I must admit - Bellinger has shown a lot of resiliency to get his career back on track since those shoulder injuries.

I'm just not sure I can trust the sustainability.  I do like the power/contact ability and the fact he's a great athlete who can play multiple positions though.  

Not to try and discount Bellinger's talents,,, but he's an upgraded version of Nathan Lukes with a much better history at the MLB level, and currently a much better launch angle allowing him to tap into the power more often. 

Whether he's worth the money to get that upgrade is up for debate I think. I'd rather have Bellinger, and would probably have more faith in him reproducing his last season over Lukes, but Lukes is still a good option. 

[Laika]

Bellinger 3.0 fWAR projection by FGDC

Lukes 1.6 in 107 games
Schneider 0.8 WAR pro-rated to 55 games

A Lukes/Schneider platoon should be about 2.4 WAR and they both cost the league minimum. 

So, Bellinger isn't worth the money UNLESS you are giving up on Santander in which case LMAO but I guess it makes sense by WAR and projections, because Santander blows and is cooked 

[John_Havok]

8 minutes ago, Laika said:

Bellinger 3.0 fWAR projection by FGDC

Lukes 1.6 in 107 games
Schneider 0.8 WAR pro-rated to 55 games

A Lukes/Schneider platoon should be about 2.4 WAR and they both cost the league minimum. 

So, Bellinger isn't worth the money UNLESS you are giving up on Santander in which case LMAO but I guess it makes sense by WAR and projections, because Santander blows and is cooked 

Yeah, pretty much. Bellinger checks all the boxes Atkins likes, good and flexible D, good contact, useful power... if they found a way to squeeze him in... trade Lukes for whatever they can get, and find a way to solve the DH problem, that would be massive

 

[Orgfiller]

Bellinger would also allow you to dump Straw since we wouldn't need an extra CF, and Lukes would seamlessly take on the 4th OF role who can actually pinch hit and you wouldn't cringe.

[Jonn]

If we could get unlinked that would be ideal.

[Jonn]

1 hour ago, Laika said:

So, Bellinger isn't worth the money UNLESS you are giving up on Santander in which case LMAO but I guess it makes sense by WAR and projections, because Santander blows and is cooked 

You know Atkins wakes up every morning and regrets giving him that contract. A bat first player with no real defensive profile outside of having a decent arm in RF. Who isn’t even actually a good hitter. He just had some big Homerun Seasons and the Jays needed Homeruns so here we are.

[Orgfiller]

11 minutes ago, Jonn said:

You know Atkins wakes up every morning and regrets giving him that contract. A bat first player with no real defensive profile outside of having a decent arm in RF. Who isn’t even actually a good hitter. He just had some big Homerun Seasons and the Jays needed Homeruns so here we are.

Easy with the hyperbole Jonn. Santander got basically the exact contract Josh Naylor just got, while being a year older with the same production, and cheaper when factoring in deferrals. Seriously, look them up, Santander from 2022-2024 was basically the exact same player as Naylor from 2023-2025.

Obviously him being injured all year and pure garbage when he did play will make you cringe, but if he had met projections then he wouldn't be viewed as some black hole contract. That's the luck of FA sometimes, not like you could've expected him to be literally one of the worst players in the league.

[Brownie19]

21 minutes ago, Jonn said:

You know Atkins wakes up every morning and regrets giving him that contract. A bat first player with no real defensive profile outside of having a decent arm in RF. Who isn’t even actually a good hitter. He just had some big Homerun Seasons and the Jays needed Homeruns so here we are.

It's like Atkins reads this board and kept hearing a few people screaming incessantly that this team needed more power and needed to add 2 impact bats - forcing him to cave and sign a guy who goes against a lot of their values. Thanks guys.

Tony does make pretty good contact for a power guy though - so he didn't completely break the mold.  I think there's a good chance he rebounds, despite what projections say (I don't think they take injuries into account very well).

 

[glory]

I'm sure Atkins regrets the Santander contract but unless he's completely toast after his shoulder injury, I think he can easily bounce back to be a ~2 WAR, 30+ HR hitter next season. Having a healthy Tony in the lineup in the playoffs instead of Lukes would have been a very noticeable difference. Home runs are difference makers. Unfortunately he got hurt, was allowed to play hurt for weeks, and then basically missed the rest of the season. Just have to write it off and hope for a bounce back next season.

With that said, if a team came up to Atkins this winter and said "we'll take the whole contract", I wonder what Ross would do. 

[glory]

As far as Bellinger, I could see Atkins being interested (CF depth in case Varsho leaves, defensive versatility, low K%, contact, power, LHB), but it would be pretty underwhelming for what it would cost. Tucker is more of a difference maker offensively, and I think I'd bet on that more than defensive versatility. Obviously there will be a significant cost difference though. 

[Eat My Shatkins]

I'd rather have Bregman than Bellinger.

 

And honestly, before those two I'd rather just stack the rotation as an option, if spending is limited.

 

[max silver]

56 minutes ago, glory said:

As far as Bellinger, I could see Atkins being interested (CF depth in case Varsho leaves, defensive versatility, low K%, contact, power, LHB), but it would be pretty underwhelming for what it would cost. Tucker is more of a difference maker offensively, and I think I'd bet on that more than defensive versatility. Obviously there will be a significant cost difference though. 

For me it's Tucker all day long vs Bellinger. I think Tucker's best full season is yet to come but he needs to avoid the injury bug over a full season of play. I believe there's enough real upside in his bat to be the Blue Jays best hitter next season if acquired as his peak production the last few seasons is top notch. I really like the idea of Tucker working with Popkins as well.

Tucker was in the midst of an MVP caliber season in 2024 before a fractured shin caused him to miss 3 months. He was largely following up that season with similar production before a fractured hand sapped his power. Put the two seasons together prior to the hand injury taking him out of his groove and he produced a 160 game stretch of 168 wRC+/8.0 FWAR with 40 HR and 30 SB. Give me that type of potential offensive impact hitting next to Vlad all day long vs whatever Bellinger can manage to produce without the benefit of playing half of his games at Yankee Stadium. 

[Landry_25]

2 minutes ago, max silver said:

For me it's Tucker all day long vs Bellinger. I think Tucker's best full season is yet to come but he needs to avoid the injury bug over a full season of play. I believe there's enough real upside in his bat to be the Blue Jays best hitter next season if acquired as his peak production the last few seasons is top notch. I really like the idea of Tucker working with Popkins as well.

Tucker was in the midst of an MVP caliber season in 2024 before a fractured shin caused him to miss 3 months. He was largely following up that season with similar production before a fractured hand sapped his power. Put the two seasons together prior to the hand injury taking him out of his groove and he produced a 160 game stretch of 168 wRC+/8.0 FWAR with 40 HR and 30 SB. Give me that type of potential offensive impact hitting next to Vlad all day long vs whatever Bellinger can manage to produce without the benefit of playing half of his games at Yankee Stadium. 

Pretty much dead on. Some s***** injuries luck for him but unreal player when healthy. Cody would be a decent fall back plan I guess but Tucker would be an awesome addition 

[Joltin Joe]

Bellinger versatility Jays will like. He's good center fielder and can play first or corner outfield. With .817 bat. Around 30HRS and 100 RBI.