Super agent Scott Boras has a long history of helping his high-profile clients cash in via MLB free agency. That does not mean he's infallible. His work with outfielder Cody Bellinger this offseason shows that Boras is human after all.
Bellinger entered the free agent market with hopes of cashing in with a lucrative, lengthy contract. The 30-year-old outfielder did a tremendous job rebuilding his value with the Yankees in 2025. The consensus around MLB is that he was the second best outfielder in this year's draft class behind Kyle Tucker.
Inside Scott Boras' plan with Cody Bellinger in MLB free agency
The general idea was that Tucker would sign first and set the market. Then, Boras would be able to conduct a bidding war of sorts between the franchises that still had holes in the outfield to fill. That plan started to go awry when Tucker elected to ink a four-year, $240 million deal with the Dodgers.
The $60 million AAV of that deal was in the ballpark of what Tucker wanted, but settling for four-years was a big concession for the elite outfielder. It also sent a stark signal to Boras and Bellinger that his market might not heat up as they expected.
The duo still held out hope that a bidding war between the Yankees and their crosstown rivals might erupt and prove their gambit to be profitable. Instead, the Mets chose to trade for Luis Robert and his bloated salary on Tuesday. That move took up Bellinger's potential spot in their outfield and his salary slot on the franchise's cap sheet.
It's Yankees or bust for Cody Bellinger in MLB free agency
Now the Yankees are left as the one big market team with a clear interest in signing Bellinger. They reportedly offered him a five-year contract worth up to $160 million before Tucker went off the board. GM Brian Cashman and his staff have not increased their offer as their peers have dropped out of the race to land Bellinger. In fact, they might be motivated to reduce the flexibility for the contract as the competition has melted away.
Player | Expected value | 2025 OPS+ | 2025 WAR |
|---|---|---|---|
Cody Bellinger | $30.4 million | 125 | 5.1 |
Kyle Tucker | $40 million | 143 | 4.6 |
Add it all up and Boras' typical strategy of dragging the free agent process out has failed to work for him this year. The rationale behind the sea change in free agency is an interesting question to ponder. Teams are clearly more hesitant than ever before to hand out long-term deals to stars who will be in their late-30s by the time the deal expires. That goes a long way towards explaining why Tucker went with a shorter deal than expected. It's also going to prove true when Bellinger finally signs his next deal.
In the end, the big winner here might be the Yankees. They did not fall for Boras' threats and now they seem to be the only obvious suitor for Bellinger. Boras and his team are doing everything they can to rev up the market with the specter of mystery teams interested in the versatile outfielder, but that all projects as noise. The obvious solution here is for Bellinger to return to the Bronx on a deal that fails to meet Boras and his client's initial expectations.
Boras has overplayed his hand, and it could have long-term ramifications on how he approaches free agency in the future.