According a leading MLB free agency expert, the price for the New York Yankees to re-sign free agent Cody Bellinger just went up.

According to Front Office Sports, from 2026-2028, ESPN’s schedule will shift from Sunday nights to a midweek slot. That would interfere with Cone’s YES Network gig, in which he calls Yankees games with Paul O’Neill. Cone’s contract with ESPN is set to expire at the start of the 2026 season.

Coming off arguably his best season since winning the NL MVP award in 2019, Cody Bellinger is still waiting out free agency to determine where he will be playing in 2026.

With ESPN switching its showcase game from “Sunday Night Baseball” to midweek beginning next season, that will clash more with Cone’s more robust Yankees-affiliated YES Network schedule and that could lead to a potential split, according to Front Office Sports.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Diamondbacks second baseman has a short no-trade list, which includes the Yankees. The Athletics, Pirates, Giants and Cardinals are the other four teams on the list. A trade to New York is still possible, though Marte would have to approve it and waive the no-trade clause.

King was a valuable bullpen weapon from 2021-23 before successfully transitioning back to the rotation at the tail end of his Yankees tenure. The Yankees then traded King to the Padres before the 2024 season as part of the package that brought back Juan Soto and Grisham.

The Yankees’ pursuit of Cody Bellinger has stalled as his asking price climbs and Trent Grisham’s $22M deal tightens New York’s payroll.

Yankees predicted to steal $150 million two-time All-Star from division rivals, would be serious upgrade from Anthony Volpe originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Yankees have had a slow offseason so far, apart from a few reunions that fans are less than excited about. In the wake of the recent winter meeting

The New York Yankees and utilityman Amed Rosario are in agreement on a one-year, $2.5 million contract, sources told ESPN on Saturday, reuniting the two sides after a brief and fruitful stint last season.