The Arizona Diamondbacks do have needs outside the pitching staff, and one former NL MVP winner and current New York Yankee might fit that description.
Veteran outfielder and first baseman Cody Bellinger may be a free agent after this season. He was traded from the Cubs to the Yankees after the 2024 season, and has only a player option remaining for 2026 — which is likely to be declined after a successful campaign.
If Bellinger decides to test his market, he’ll likely have quite a few suitors, especially considering the excellent year he’s had in the Bronx.
A recent article from Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller linked Arizona to Bellinger as a “dark horse” destination.
“Calling Arizona a dark horse to sign one of the best outfielders on the market is maybe a bit much. They could use one and have also shown a drastically increased willingness to spend money over the past two years,” Miller wrote.
“If they’re spending this type of coin, though, it’s way more likely to be on fixing up the pitching staff than on improving an already solid lineup.”
Bellinger posted excellent numbers in 2025 — his best since 2023 and second-best since his 2019 MVP season. He slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 homers, posted an .813 OPS and was worth five Wins Above Replacement.
Bellinger is also a good defender. He was worth +11 Defensive Runs Saved (per Baseball-Reference), +9 Fielding Run Value and +7 Outs Above Average (both via Statcast).
Clearly, Bellinger is an extremely desirable target, but would it make sense for the D-backs to pursue him?
On paper, Bellinger actually fills a pair of needs. Arizona needs a power-hitting outfielder that isn’t Corbin Carroll (or the injured Lourdes Gurriel Jr.). They also need a first baseman.
Bellinger has played plenty of first base in his career, but the defensive numbers there aren’t nearly as positive as his outfield resume. Less than a third of his career defensive innings have come at first base.
The other issue is Bellinger is a left-handed bat. Arizona already has an outfield full of lefty hitters, and could use a right-handed power bat out there.
The biggest deterrant, however, is the obvious one. Bellinger’s price tag will be extremely high, and the D-backs are looking to reduce payroll in 2026. Spotrac projects a six-year contract worth north of $180 million, which seems very unlikely to work for Arizona.
That doesn’t mean there isn’t any money available for GM Mike Hazen to spend, but Miller’s point about pitching stands.
If Arizona were to be spending star-level money, that’s likely to be directed toward the pitching staff — though they may look to utilize the trade market to get arms, leaving the remaining available payroll open for offensive (and defensive) upgrades.
