Since Soto’s loss to the Mets last week, the Yankees have signed Max Fried (eight years, $218 million) and traded for closers Devin Williams and Bellinger, filling three of the many holes on their roster. Bellinger’s contract also includes a $25 million player option for 2026, although the Cubs will pay $2.5 million toward that salary or his $5 million buyout if he chooses to do so. to become a free agent.

The long-awaited move gives the Yankees a number of options going forward, as Bellinger can play at first base, left field or center field.

So what’s next for the Yankees?

While Fried and Williams addressed the team’s biggest pitching needs, New York remains in the market for at least one more hitter, either in the outfield or at first base.

By adding Bellinger’s $27.5 million salary in 2025 (of which the Cubs will absorb $2.5 million), the Yankees could look for lower-cost alternatives than Christian Walker or Pete Alonso, with other first basemen like Carlos Santana and Paul Goldschmidt are among their potential free baseman. Agent goals. Cleveland’s Josh Naylor and Texas’ Nathaniel Lowe are also potential trade targets at first base. Ben Rice, who played 50 games for the Yankees in 2024, is an internal option at the position.

First base isn’t the only significant hole in the Yankees’ infield; Jazz Chisholm Jr. can play either second or third base, but New York has yet to find someone to play the other spot. The second base free agent market is relatively thin this winter, although third base offers a few attractive options: Nolan Arenado remains on the trade block in St. Louis, while Alex Bregman is among the top hitters in free agency.

When it comes to the outfield, the current roster could have all the answers the Yankees need. Bellinger could take over left field alongside top prospect Jasson Domínguez in center, or if the club determines that Domínguez is not ready to take on an everyday job (or is better suited to the left position), Bellinger could play center . Either way, Aaron Judge can move back to right field, which is the Yankees’ preference. Trent Grisham also returns next season, giving the Yankees a backup plan in left field if Domínguez isn’t ready and Bellinger is moved to center.

The top two corner outfielders on the market are Teoscar Hernández and Anthony Santander, who are seeking three- and five-year deals, respectively. Both players are expected to earn more than $20 million per season on their next contracts, and while Bellinger’s salary is above what both players are expected to receive, the commitment to the 29-year-old will be shorter in both cases.

The Yankees could opt to add another outfielder and use Bellinger at first base, with Jurickson Profar and Randal Grichuk among the available free agents and Taylor Ward, Adolis García, Lane Thomas and Mike Yastrzemski among potential trade candidates.