Yankees Trade Rumors: Cody Bellinger standoff continues as Yanks eye Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, and more stars – Report

The New York Yankees are reportedly looking into acquiring various players as negotiations for Cody Bellinger continue.

According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Yankees and Chicago Cubs are still far apart in reaching an agreement to send Bellinger to the Bronx.

Heyman said on X (formerly Twitter) that the Yankees-Cubs trade standoff boils down to “who blinks first.” In other words, a deal could be finalized when one party capitulates to the other's demands.

Otherwise, the Cubs may choose to keep Bellinger or move him to another team. The Yankees have been actively pursuing another outfielder after losing Juan Soto to their crosstown rivals, New York Mets.

Heyman listed other players the Yankees are currently considering to replace Soto’s bat. These include Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, Carlos Santana, Josh Naylor and Nathaniel Lowe, among other potentially available sluggers.

Speculation about Bellinger intensified after the Cubs acquired highly coveted outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros. Tucker’s addition could have made Bellinger expendable for this upcoming season.

Bellinger is coming off a relatively subpar season in which he hit 18 homers and drove 78 runs in 130 games. He swiped nine bags to go with a .266 average and .751 OPS. Those numbers were down from 2023 when he hit 26 home runs, notched 97 RBIs and posted a .301 average with a .881 OPS.

Bellinger signed a three-year deal worth $80 million ahead of the 2024 season. He holds an opt-out clause following the 2025 season and is scheduled to hit free agency after the 2026 season.

Insider shoots down Alonso to Yankees rumors

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic shot down rumors linking former Met Pete Alonso to the Yankees.

Alonso’s name has been the subject of speculation following the Juan Soto signing. While Soto’s arrival does not exclude Alonso, the slugging first baseman would most likely seek greener pastures elsewhere.

But according to Rosenthal, those pastures won’t be in pinstripes. Rosenthal stated on "Foul Territory":

“I don't see it being the Yankees, because the Yankees are trying to get better defensively, and Alonso, while he works very hard on his defense, is at best, an average defender.”

The Bronx Bombers used a combination of first basemen this season, particularly after Anthony Rizzo’s injury. While the Yankees could use another bat to replace Soto’s and an overall upgrade at first base, Rosenthal believes Alonso’s likeliest destination is back with the Mets.

Rosenthal said:

“I'm not sure where the end game is here, and many feel that it's going to be the Mets ultimately on a deal that maybe is less than Alonso is anticipating.”

Ultimately, it remains to be seen where the Yankees will find the slugging they seek. With Cody Bellinger still in play, Alonso could be a fallback option, among other available sluggers.