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The Toronto Blue Jays have had a rough couple of days after the Los Angeles Dodgers landed Kyle Tucker and their home-grown product, Bo Bichette, opted to join the New York Mets.
What’s been an impressive offseason for the reigning American League champions has hit a couple of speed bumps. Nonetheless, there’s still one big free agent left out on the market in Cody Bellinger.
Although the Blue Jays had their eyes on Tucker or on potentially retaining Bichette, former MLB general manager Steve Phillips sees a potential Bellinger signing as a positive, given Toronto could also hurt the New York Yankees in the process.
“He is Kyle Tucker light is how I look at Cody Bellinger,” Phillips said during a Jan. 16 appearance on TSN. “Another five-tool guy. He can play center. I think ideally the Jays wouldn’t mind getting another outfielder that they control beyond the [2026] season because [Daulton] Varsho is a free agent and [George] Springer is a free agent.
“The benefit of this is it’s not going to take 10 years to get him done. He wants seven. The Yankees have dead stopped at five. Imagine stealing Bellinger out from under the Yankees, and the Yankees at that point would have nowhere else to go.”
Cody Bellinger Would Bring Versatility to the Blue Jays
Moreover, Phillips notes the versatility Bellinger could bring to the Blue Jays’ lineup. He then mentions that taking the veteran outfielder away from New York is, again, the cherry on top if Toronto can somehow edge out the teams that want to land the free-agent hitter.
“I think the Mets are going to be in on Bellinger, too, and so I’d like to see [the Blue Jays] pursue Bellinger and see if they can’t make a deal there,” Phillips added. “[Bellinger is] an outstanding defender in center field, [and] he can play left field; he can play first base and protect you as a left-handed bat there.
“He has got pop; he can steal a base, and so he’d fit, and it would cut into some at-bats for [Addison] Barger, and I’d rather not do it. But the idea of getting him and keeping him away from the Yankees for a year would be fantastic.”
Cody Bellinger to the Blue Jays Makes Sense
Phillips isn’t the only one who believes that Bellinger makes sense for the Blue Jays, who want to put another bat around Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Alejandro Kirk, and Co. Mike Wilner, the Toronto Star’s baseball columnist, also believes the Blue Jays need to pivot to the outfielder.
“Cody Bellinger obviously stands out as the next best fit, especially when the Blue Jays seem to have been so focused on Kyle Tucker,” Wilner said on the Jan. 16 edition of “Foul Territory.” “Bellinger has shown he can play in the AL East.
“He is a very good defensive outfielder, as opposed to Tucker, and defense is something that the Blue Jays seem to really want. It’s a weird fit, but Tucker would have been a weird fit, and they were willing to make it happen.”
Bellinger had a batting average of .272 with 160 hits, 29 homers, 98 RBIs, and 89 runs scored in 152 games for the Yankees last season, per StatMuse.
Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo
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