3 reasons the NY Mets are better off with Luis Robert Jr. than Cody Bellinger

Throughout most of the offseason, Cody Bellinger seemed like one of the New York Mets top targets in free agency. The connection goes back even earlier, with Jon Heyman reporting on the Mets' desire to pounce on Bellinger in free agency all the way back in August.

We admit, we liked the fit, too. Bellinger could have done a lot for the Mets. But with that said, David Stearns went out and struck a deal for a different outfielder, bringing Luis Robert Jr. into the fold.

Robert Jr. comes with his fair share of questions, though, for the price, New York has earned high marks for the deal. We're not even sure if White Sox general manager Chris Getz fully understands what he was getting in Luisangel Acuna, who definitely is not a switch-hitter.

So, while you may have wanted Bellinger and have begrudgingly accepted Robert Jr. and his back-to-back 84 wRC+ campaigns, understand this. There are three very pertinent reasons why Robert Jr. was the better call than Bellinger.

Three reasons why Luis Robert Jr. is a better fit for the Mets than Cody Bellinger

1. It's hard to find a good true center fielder

If you take a look at the MLB.com top-10 center fielders, you'll notice something. The position doesn't have a lot of high-end depth. Trent Grisham ranks seventh, and aside from last season, he's been a below-average hitter with declining defense. Oneil Cruz ranks 10th. He put up an 86 wRC+ and 1.6 fWAR last season. Robert Jr. came in with an 84 wRC+ and 1.3 fWAR (in 25 fewer games). It's a hard position to find true high-end talent.

And that means that clubs aren't parting with the league's upper echelon center fielders. These guys rarely hit free agency, and they typically cost an arm and a leg in trades, if they're ever made available.

Defensively, Robert Jr. is a stellar defensive center fielder. He won a Gold Glove in 2020, and despite having his 2025 season cut short by injury, he posted seven outs above average.

Bellinger, on the other hand, is a corner outfielder who can moonlight in center. The former Los Angeles Dodger only has one season where he was primarily a center fielder, and that came back in 2022. Last year, he logged 306.1 innings at the position and posted minus-one outs above average.

2. It allows for Carson Benge to be integrated in at a corner outfield spot

Top prospect Carson Benge will arrive at some point in 2026, potentially as soon as Opening Day. The Oklahoma State product is athletic and has played all three outfield positions, but the presence of Robert Jr. buys him time and allows him to ease into the bigs by playing a less demanding corner.

Originally, it seemed like left field was his destination, but with Juan Soto switching corners, now it will likely be right field that becomes his defensive home.

Having a lockdown defensive center fielder also helps the Mets get the most out of their depth. Brett Baty can log time in a corner outfield spot, but not in center. There are some other intriguing corner outfielders in camp as well. Signing Bellinger would have meant that only Tyrone Taylor could truly cover center until Benge arrives, and it would put more pressure on the prized youngster once he gets to Queens.

3. The cost is substantially less

You can look at Robert Jr.'s $20 million salary relative to his production and feel like it's an overpay. That amount is no drop in the bucket, but it is more economical than it may seem. The biggest issue with the former top prospect actually providing $20 million in value isn't his production, it's his availability.

If Robert Jr. can post a roughly league-average batting line with his defensive prowess and base running aptitude while avoiding any major injuries, he'll be well worth his salary. The Mets then hold the cards to decide if they want to bring him back at the same number in 2027.

Compare that to Bellinger, whose contract puts the Yankees between a rock and a hard place. The Yankees will pay him $85 million over the first two years of his deal, more than double what Robert Jr. will make should the Mets pick up his option, and then he can opt out. If he does, that means he had two great years and will be all the more expensive to retain. If he struggles these next two years, and he's been a volatile player in the past, so that's a possibility, the Yankees will be on the hook for another $77.5 million from 2028 through 2030, which covers his age-32 through age-34 seasons.

There are few ways the Bellinger contract comes out as a winner for the Yankees, but many ways the Mets can get decent bang for their buck with Robert Jr. At the end of the day, that really matters.