Sources: Yankees, Cody Bellinger end stalemate with 5-year deal - ESPN

The New York Yankees and outfielder Cody Bellinger are in agreement on a five-year, $162.5 million contract, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan on Wednesday, ending a standoff between two sides that preferred to reunite all winter long.

The deal includes opt-outs after the second and third seasons, a $20 million signing bonus, and a full no-trade clause, sources said.

Bellinger figures to slot back in as the Yankees' primary left fielder — he started more games there (59) than anywhere else last season — and dislodge Jasson Dominguez from an every-day role.

Yankees officials publicly insisted that they were ready to have the switch-hitting Dominguez, a former top prospect, become their every-day left fielder despite significant defensive lapses and struggles hitting right-handed pitching in his rookie year. But retaining Bellinger was a priority from the start of the offseason, once he declined a $25 million player option for 2026 and became a free agent after thriving in his first season in the Bronx.

Hitting behind Aaron Judge most of the year, Bellinger batted .272 with 29 home runs and an .813 OPS in 152 games. He was especially productive against left-handed pitching and led all left-handed hitters in on-base percentage (.415) and slugging (.601) against left-handed pitchers.

He was also one of the sport's top defenders: Bellinger accumulated seven outs above average and eight defensive runs saved between the three outfield positions and first base. His 4.9 fWAR was tied with National League MVP runner-up Kyle Schwarber for 18th in the majors and was the second best of his career only to the 7.8 fWAR he compiled during his 2019 MVP season.

Bellinger, represented by agent Scott Boras, hoped to convert the successful