2 Yankees free agents we may see in Queens, 2 NY Mets who could ride to the Bronx

Some guys might have to call a taxi and move across town this offseason.
Division Series - New York Yankees v Toronto Blue Jays - Game Two
Division Series - New York Yankees v Toronto Blue Jays - Game Two | Mark Blinch/GettyImages
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It's official: for the 16th straight season, the World Series champion will not hail from New York. The New York Mets failed to make the playoffs in their first season of the Juan Soto era, and the New York Yankees lost in the ALDS to the Toronto Blue Jays, falling short of a championship yet again in the Aaron Judge era.

This offseason, both teams will look to retool around their superstars, ensuring that the mistakes made this year won't happen in 2026. There's a real possibility that some of the best upgrades for the Yankees or Mets could be found right across town. Here are some of the guys we may see switching boroughs this winter.

1. Cody Bellinger to the Mets

No disrespect is intended towards Tyrone Taylor; he was an unlikely hero amongst few in 2025 for the Mets, but Cody Bellinger can boost an offensive presence the team hasn't seen from the outfield in quite some time while bringing Gold Glove-caliber defense. He was among the league's elite defensive outfielders in 2025 with a fielding run value of nine (91st percentile). With Soto and Nimmo -- two guys not necessarily known for defensive prowess -- as your other outfielders, it's crucial to have a strong glove out there.

Bellinger slashed .272/.334/.480 with a 125 wRC+ in 2025, with 29 home runs and 98 RBI. He may no longer be the MVP-caliber hitter he was earlier in his career, but he has done an excellent job reinventing himself as an above-average bat. His biggest defect at the plate is his struggle to hit the ball hard, but the Mets will happily take his offense over a lot of guys -- especially Tyrone Taylor, who finished the season with an OPS of just .598. That’s tough to ignore, no matter how good you are on defense.

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