In what was the blockbuster story of the last MLB offseason, the New York Mets stunned the baseball world by signing superstar outfielder Juan Soto away from their crosstown rivals, the New York Yankees. The price? A jaw-dropping $800 million contract—the largest in professional sports history. Now, as the 2025 season nears its end, both New York franchises are staring down potential postseason disappointments despite their massive payrolls, setting the stage for another high-stakes offseason showdown. With another star outfielder hitting free agency, the Mets may be ready to strike again, potentially deepening the Yankees’ nightmare.
The Mets and Yankees have spared no expense in their quest for dominance. According to Spotrac, the Mets boast the second-highest payroll in MLB at $339 million, with the Yankees close behind at $298 million, ranking third. Yet, despite their financial firepower, both teams are teetering on the edge of collapse.
As of mid-August 2025, the Yankees, who led the AL East by seven games on May 28, have slipped to third place, trailing the Toronto Blue Jays by 6½ games. They cling to the final AL Wild Card spot, just 1½ games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians. The Mets, meanwhile, have endured a catastrophic stretch, dropping 14 of their last 16 games to fall six games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. Their grip on the third NL Wild Card spot is a precarious half-game over the Cincinnati Reds.
For two teams with World Series aspirations, these results are nothing short of disastrous. The pressure to spend big—again—is mounting.
At the center of the looming free-agent frenzy is Cody Bellinger, the 2019 NL MVP and two-time All-Star outfielder. Acquired by the Yankees before the 2025 season in a trade with the Chicago Cubs (along with $5 million cash for pitcher Cody Poteet), Bellinger opted to stay with his three-year, $80 million contract rather than test free agency last offseason. However, with another opt-out clause looming after the 2025 season, insiders believe he’s poised to hit the open market.
According to New York Post insider Jon Heyman, Bellinger is expected to opt out of his remaining $25 million for 2026. “The Yankees want to keep Cody Bellinger, who’ll surely opt out,” Heyman wrote on Thursday. “He’s said to love it in pinstripes. But word is, the Mets also like Bellinger. Mets execs prioritize defense and versatility, and Bellinger is above average at four positions.”
The idea of Bellinger swapping pinstripes for Mets blue is a “nightmare scenario” for Yankees fans, as Yanks Go Yard writer Stephen Parello put it. “The Yankees can’t have this again. Nope,” Parello warned, recalling the sting of losing Soto to their rivals. The Mets, however, see Bellinger as a perfect fit. His elite defensive skills and positional versatility—capable of playing above-average center field, right field, left field, and even first base—align perfectly with the Mets’ priorities.
Bellinger could also serve as a potential replacement for Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, who is widely expected to opt out of his contract after the season. With Alonso’s future uncertain, the Mets may view Bellinger as a two-way star who can stabilize their lineup and outfield while providing insurance at first base.
While Bellinger reportedly enjoys playing for the Yankees, money talks in free agency. The Mets, backed by owner Steve Cohen’s deep pockets, have shown they’re willing to outbid anyone—as evidenced by their record-shattering Soto deal. The question now is whether the Yankees will match or exceed the Mets’ inevitable offer to keep Bellinger in the Bronx.
“The Mets could not only look at Bellinger as an option to stabilize center field with a reliable two-way contributor, but they could also look at him as a possible Alonso replacement,” Parello noted. “That raises the question as to whether or not the Yankees will rise to meet the price tag the Mets likely set for Bellinger.”
The Mets-Yankees rivalry has always been intense, but it’s now reaching unprecedented financial heights. With both teams facing the prospect of missing the postseason despite their astronomical payrolls, the 2025 offseason could see another chapter in this escalating arms race. If the Mets succeed in luring Bellinger across town, it would mark a second consecutive year of poaching a star outfielder from the Yankees—a blow that could reverberate through the Bronx for years.