NY Mets might be wise to order the diet version of Cody Bellinger

Cody Bellinger is a name that has long been popular in New York Mets circles. Jon Heyman started connecting the dots between Bellinger and a Queens landing back in August, and things have only spiked up from there.

The Mets aren't the only team projected to get into the Bellinger sweepstakes. His 2025 club, the New York Yankees, would love to retain him, while the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers (despite them unceremoniously non-tendering him three years ago), as well as a host of other teams, are rumored to be interested in his services, and with Scott Boras as his agent, he's going to be looking for a mega deal.

Most projections have Bellinger getting around $180 million on a six-plus-year deal, which is certainly a hefty chunk of change, though it's likely warranted for a player with his skillset. A plus defender at all three outfield positions as well as first base, with good contact skills, athleticism, and a low strikeout rate, all make him an attractive package.

But what if the Mets could get most of those things for less than a quarter of the price? There's a player out there on the free agent market who could be one of the best bets to outperform expectations, and he scratches most of the itches that Bellinger does. Meet Ryan O'Hearn, aka Diet Cody Bellinger.

Ryan O'Hearn could give the Mets nearly everything Cody Bellinger does at a fraction of the price

For as much hoopla as Bellinger is getting, let's not forget that this time last year, the Chicago Cubs were desperate to dump his salary on anyone else's books. That's not to say that Bellinger was bad in 2024 per se, but rather, his .751 OPS wasn't quite worth what they were willing to pay, even when you take his other contributions into account. As perfect a fit as he may seem, there is some risk given the deal he's likely to get.

Bellinger's ability to roam center field is why a lot of clubs want him, but with the Mets wanting to hand the keys over to Carson Benge sooner rather than later, Bellinger seems excessive as a placeholder. Instead, he makes more sense as a Pete Alonso replacement, but that's where O'Hearn can come in.

Like Bellinger, O'Hearn was cut loose by his previous club, the Kansas City Royals, after the 2022 season, but he rose from the ashes in Baltimore and reinvented himself, earning an All-Star selection in 2025.

Over two and a half seasons with the Orioles, O'Hearn slashed .277/.342/.454 with 42 homers over 1223 plate appearances. Traded to the San Diego Padres this July, O'Hearn batted .276 with a .350 OBP in San Diego, though he saw his SLG dip to .387. The Padres' Petco Park ranks as one of the toughest places to hit homers as a lefty, however, which should explain some of the drop off.

Like Bellinger, O'Hearn is versatile. While he can't play center and he isn't a superb glove in the outfield, he can competently man either corner outfield spot. Where he really shines is at first base, posting four defensive runs saved and six outs above average in just 541.1 innings at first in 2025. Sticking him at first definitely would follow David Stearns' run prevention mandate.

O'Hearn doesn't strike out much, posting a 20% strikeout rate in 2025 and a sparkling 14% mark in 2024. He also walks at an above-average clip, drawing free passes 10.7% of the time this year.

Another Bellinger selling point is how well he handles same-handed pitching, batting .353 against southpaws in 2025. O'Hearn is also a lefty hitter, and while he was strictly a platoon bat earlier in his career, he's gotten more chances against left-handed pitchers and has slashed .261/.326/.442 against them since the Orioles scooped him up.

Contract projections for him all agree that he'll land a two-year deal between $22 million and $29 million in total value. Compared to Bellinger, that's a massive discount for a player who, aside from the speed and ability to play center, is remarkably similar.

An added bonus is that O'Hearn doesn't block Benge or Ryan Clifford. When Clifford is ready, O'Hearn can do what he's always done and bounce between first, the outfield corners, and DH.

With the massive discount in terms of contract, O'Hearn seems like an incredible value for a team that wants the Cody Bellinger skillset with a lot less bloat in the budget. That team could be the Mets, who would then be free to spend lavishly on other priorities like landing an ace and retaining Edwin Diaz.