NEW YORK -- There is a belief within the Yankees’ clubhouse that if they could somehow replay the American League Division Series, the outcome would be different. Aaron Judge said as much minutes after the final out, when he said the club would like to “run ‘em back and see what happens.”
They are going to have that chance, or at least something close to it.
The 2026 Yankees will not be identical to last year’s club, but they’ll have striking similarities, highlighted by a move that is expected to be their offseason capper: re-signing Cody Bellinger to a five-year, $162.5 million contract.
“I feel really good with that,” Bellinger said Wednesday on a Zoom conference. “Obviously, it might not be what everyone wants to hear, but I really do love the group that we had. We had a special, special unit. We had great chemistry that I don’t think can be understood unless you’re inside the clubhouse.
“We all play for each other and, on top of that, we have some important pieces coming back. I’m excited to run it back with those guys.”
Beyond Bellinger, the Yankees retained several familiar faces this winter, including Trent Grisham ($22.025 million qualifying offer), Tim Hill ($3 million), Amed Rosario ($2.5 million), Ryan Yarbrough ($2.5 million) and Paul Blackburn ($2 million).
Their most notable external addition was left-hander Ryan Weathers, acquired from the Marlins on Jan. 13. Weathers is expected to help stabilize the rotation early in the season until Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole return from their respective injury rehabs.
“I disagree that it’s the same team, running it back,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “It’s going to be some differences, and the competition is going to be different, too. In some cases, some teams got better. Some teams, you could argue, maybe got a little bit worse.
“Our division is the best in baseball. But long story short -- one [playoff] series, make or break, is not going to define what we think our capabilities are.”
Keeping Bellinger in pinstripes for another run was a priority, according to Cashman, who publicly thanked managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner for “allowing us to stay in it in a very significant way.”
Bellinger and agent Scott Boras were said to be seeking six or seven years, with the Yanks unwilling to exceed five. Ultimately, the sides compromised on a contract that included a pair of opt-outs and front-loaded salaries.
“We were negotiating with a titan in Scott Boras,” Cashman said. “It took me and Hal and [team president] Randy Levine to figure out a solution that would make sense for everybody involved and try to outpace the market.”
There was a point, Bellinger acknowledged, that he began to wonder if his time in the Bronx would be a one-and-done.
“When you get into a locker room where it’s about winning and doing it for each other, you don’t really want to leave it,” Bellinger said. “Grass ain’t always greener on the other side.”
The 30-year-old was a productive fit in pinstripes after being acquired from the Cubs in a December 2024 salary dump, enjoying a bounce-back campaign that saw him bat .272/.334/.480 (125 OPS+) with 25 doubles, 29 homers and 98 RBIs across 152 games.
Bellinger’s versatility was an asset for manager Aaron Boone, who used him at all three outfield positions and first base. His return projects to complicate the outlook for Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones, who were in line to compete for left-field reps this spring.
“Belli is that true, versatile player that can go be really successful all over the diamond,” Boone said. “So we’ll see how everything plays out. The reality is, we have a lot of really good players. And Jasson and Spencer are part of that.”
Three years ago, Judge declined to play in the World Baseball Classic, citing a busy winter that finished with a nine-year, $360 million contract and being named the Yankees’ first captain since Derek Jeter.
Bellinger expressed a similar mindset on Wednesday, saying that while he’d like to play in the Classic at some point, his priority now is preparing for the season ahead.
“I just want to focus on what’s here and the task at hand,” Bellinger said. “I owe it to the Steinbrenner family and the Yankee organization to go and get my best foot forward and try to win a championship.”