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Cody Bellinger might not have the most impressive underlying hitting metrics in baseball. He doesn’t hit the ball particularly hard, with his average exit velocity in the 24th percentile and his 37.9 percent hard-hit rate in 2025 checking in the 26th percentile. His 70.1-mph bat speed is in the 20th percentile. And we can go on.

So why did the Yankees decide that this profile was worth $162.5 million over five years? Well, Bellinger showed that a hitter doesn’t need to have Giancarlo Stanton or Aaron Judge’s metrics to succeed.

Bellinger was, simply put, an above-average performer in the three things expected from a position player: batting, fielding, and baserunning. He was in the 82nd percentile in Batting Run Value per Statcast, in the 69th percentile in Baserunning Run Value, and in the 91st percentile in Fielding Run Value. His barrel control, consistency, work ethic, and natural talent to put the bat on the ball allowed Bellinger to hit 29 homers and post a 4.9-fWAR season in his inaugural campaign in the Bronx last year, his best output since his MVP year in 2019.

The Bombers determined that a player with 30-homer potential, an elite 13.7-percent strikeout rate, excellent defense, versatility, and a solid track record of production (save for a couple years ravaged by a shoulder injury that he didn’t wait long enough to recover from) was worth investing in.

The negotiation process was grueling and seemed to have no ending in sight. But Scott Boras, Bellinger’s agent, finally realized the Yankees weren’t moving from their five-year offer. The star did get a fair amount of flexibility, though, as there are opt-outs after the second and third season, a $20 million signing bonus, and a full no-trade clause. In the event of a lockout nixing the 2027 campaign—a looming threat—those opt-outs will each slide back a year.

In the end, with the Mets trading for Luis Robert Jr. late on Tuesday, it became clear that they weren’t going to seriously pursue Bellinger anymore. It sounded as though the Blue Jays were internally moving on from their interest as well. Finally, the path towards a deal was smoothed, and now the Yankees can finally plan around Bellinger being back on the squad.

He is likely ticketed for left field, with Trent Grisham in center and Aaron Judge in right. If he’s not moved as part of a package before Opening Day, Jasson Domínguez would be the fourth outfielder, with utilitymen Amed Rosario and José Caballero also available to cover corner outfield spots (DH Giancarlo Stanton would only be an emergency). Essentially, it’s a very similar unit to the end of last year, providing the project with some stability. Grisham could move on after his one-year qualifying offer contract in 2026 as well, and though Bellinger is better in left, he’s at least an option to help and play center if needed in 2027, keeping Judge in his most optimal spot.

Bellinger might not have the ceiling of his early career years anymore, when he used to put up wRC+ finishes in the 160s as he did seven years ago (when the ball was admittedly jumpier). He is now a steady, all-around performer who might not be flashy, but is very much effective in all facets of the game and can even man first as well.

Now that the Yanks have finally checked off Bellinger’s return from their list, the expectation is that they will focus on adding at least one more starter before the start of the season. Perhaps they will also add a bullpen piece or two, now that they know exactly how much money Bellinger will make and for how long.

The roster is still not finished—it would rightly be considered folly for the Yankees to think it’s A-OK—but Bellinger’s return is certainly a positive in the grand scheme of things. He showed the ability to take full advantage of Yankee Stadium’s short porch and finished 2025 with his highest home run total since he hit 47 back in 2019.

Bellinger has no platoon weakness (his 180 wRC+ against lefties was, in fact, much better than his 105 mark vs. righties), and he offers contact, power, speed, athleticism, defense, and pure baseball acumen. He also knows how to handle pressure and the media. Oh, and most importantly, he wanted to stay a Yankee, like his father. Now, he finally gets his wish and he

Negotiations weren’t pretty, but it finally happened: Cody Bellinger is staying a Yankee.

The Mets, after two high-profile lineup moves in recent days, turned toward the bullpen Wednesday.

Luis García, a veteran right-hander who spent last season with three teams, has reached agreement with the club on a one-year contract, The Post’s Joel Sherman first reported.

García, 38, pitched to a 3.42 ERA in 58 appearances last season with the Angels, Nationals and Dodgers.

He became the third new member of a reconstructed Mets bullpen during an offseason in which Edwin Díaz departed to the Dodgers on a three-year, $69 million contract.

Previously, the Mets signed Devin Williams to a three-year, $51 million contract and Luke Weaver a two-year deal for $22 million.

The Mets also have Huascar Brazobán, and lefties Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter in the bullpen.

García averaged 96.9 mph with his fastball last season, which ranked in MLB’s 87th percentile, according to Statcast. He also had a ground ball rate of 49.7 percent, which ranked in the 82nd percentile.

In the past week, the Mets signed Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million contract and traded with the White Sox for outfielder Luis Robert Jr.

The Mets are still searching for an arm to bolster the starting rotation.

“I’ve been clear, my preference would be to add a starting pitcher,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “It doesn’t mean it’s a certainty we’re going to do it, but yes.”

Framber Valdez remains the top option on the free agent market, and the Mets convened with the left-hander at the GM meetings in November. The trade options could include Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta, both of whom are entering their walk year.

Brett Baty will be an option to play first base and left field, according to Stearns. Last season Baty split time between second and third base, but those positions are now occupied by full-time players in Marcus Semien and Bichette.

“We have got a lot of people in the organization who feel Brett Baty is going to be a real good left fielder once he gets some experience out there,” Stearns said.

The Mets also plan to evaluate prospect Carson Benge in left field during spring training and have Tyrone Taylor returning.

“I think we have some options out there, and we’ll continue to see how the offseason goes,” Stearns said.

Spencer Jones may be on the doorstep of The Bronx, yet he can’t crack Baseball America’s top-100 prospect list.

The towering outfielder did not crack the list despite hitting 35 homers and posting a. 982 OPS spanning Triple-A and Double-A this past season.

Four other Yankees cracked the list, headlined by shortstop George Lombard Jr. at No. 46.

Pitcher Elmer Rodriguez (59), 2025 first-round shortstop Dax Kilby (No. 61) and pitcher Carlos Lagrange (93) round out the quartet that qualified.

Baseball America has not been kind to Jones throughout the years, ranking him as its No. 46 prospect before the 2024 season and leaving him off lists since.

He’s certainly a divisive prospect, with some projecting Aaron Judge-like power while others worrying his swing has too many holes and he will strike out way too often.

Jones, 24, slashed .274/.362/.571 with 35 homers, 80 RBIs and 29 steals this past season, and could be part of the Yankees’ Opening Day mix.

It seems he’ll start the year in the minors after Cody Bellinger re-signed Wednesday — provided he’s not traded — affording more opportunities to refine his game.

Four Yankees making the list shows that the system has depth, but their top prospect coming in at No. 46 further revealed that the system lacks top-end talent.

The Bronx Bombers have talked up Lombard for quite some time after drafting him in 2023, but he’s coming off a disappointing season in which he had a .695 OPS in Double-A.

Rodriguez-Cruz shined after arriving in the Carlos Narvaez trade, posting a 2.58 ERA with 176 strikeouts in 150 innings spanning three levels.

Kilby, the No. 39 pick in the 2025 Draft, played in just 18 minor-league games and posted an .898 OPS with 16 stolen bases.

Lagrange rounded out the list after posting a 3.83 ERA with 168 strikeouts in 120 innings spanning Double-A and Single-A.

MLB.com ranked the Yankees’ system 22nd last August, and is more bullish on the team’s prospects than Baseball America.

Lombard is No. 25, Lagrange is No. 74 and Jones ranks No. 99 in their listing, while Rodriguez comes in much lower at No. 97.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns was at Citi Field on Wednesday to introduce Bo Bichette, whose deal became official on Tuesday -- shortly before Stearns swung a trade for Luis Robert Jr.

Add Bichette and Robert to the already-signed Jorge Polanco, and New York's offense has been transformed after the departures of Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil.

While Stearns said he's happy with the position player group the Mets now have, they are still in search of a starting pitcher.

"My preference is to add a starting pitcher," Stearns told SNY's Steve Gelbs. "I've been open and honest about that through the entirety of the offseason. I can't say with certainty that we're going to be able to do that, but we remain engaged on a number of different fronts in that market. 

"We've still got plenty of time to go in the offseason, certainly plenty of time to go before Opening Day. And so we'll see where it heads."

The Mets, who have yet to dip into their stable of top prospects in any trade this offseason, could be set up well to deal for a top-of-the-rotation pitcher.

Among the possibilities is Milwaukee Brewers ace Freddy Peralta, whom the Mets are still reportedly pursuing.

If not Peralta, New York could attempt to pry Tarik Skubal from the Tigers, reengage the Padres on Nick Pivetta, or turn to the free agent market.

The best free agent pitcher remaining is Framber Valdez, who has been heavily linked to the Mets and Orioles and could possibly be had on a three-or four-year deal worth around $30 million annually.

As things currently stand, the Mets' rotation includes Nolan McLean, Clay Holmes, Sean Manaea, David Peterson, and Kodai Senga.

Then there are the young starters, led by Jonah Tong, Brandon Sproat, and Christian Scott -- who should be ready to go after recovering from Tommy John surgery.

While the Mets have rotation depth, they also have lots of question marks -- something that obviously isn't lost on Stearns as he continues the club's pursuit of more starting pitching.

STEARNS ON THE LUIS ROBERT JR. TRADE

Robert is one of the best defensive center fielders in the sport, one of the fastest runners, and has elite bat speed.

His offense, while inconsistent, is something you can dream on.

Robert has had two consecutive down seasons, but he showed serious flashes last summer when he slashed .297/.350/.468 in 140 plate appearances over 35 games from July 11 to Aug. 26 -- when his season ended due to a hamstring injury.

"As we looked at Luis Robert, we saw so many of the same skills and tools that allowed him to an elite player just a couple of years ago," Stearns told Gelbs. "All of that is still there. When you see those underlying skills and tools at such a high level, it makes you want to get that guy in your organization. We'll do everything we can to bring the best out of him. We'll do everything we can to keep him on the field, make him comfortable.

"Sometimes just a change of place, a change of scenery gives someone a little bit of a new perspective. We don't know what that is. We don't really know why, but we've all seen it plenty of times in sports. And Luis certainly could be a guy like that."

As Bo Bichette donned his orange and blue Mets cap and No. 19 jersey for the first time on Wednesday afternoon, he made it clear that there was one factor in particular that led to him signing in New York. 

Winning. 

“It was very obvious that I wanted to be a Met,” Bichette explained. “Mr. [Steve] Cohen and David [Stearns] have put together an organization that is looking to win every single year, has an opportunity to win a World Series every single year, and a roster that backs that up. It’s very exciting to be part of this city, one of the best cities in the world, maybe the best city in the world, some of the best fans in the world, and all of that is something I always wanted to be a part of. So, I’m excited to be here and excited to be a Met.”

“My first priority is winning, and obviously this organization is doing everything that they can to do that,” Bichette added later. “The roster is great, like I said, and then just playing in front of fans like this is a pretty cool opportunity. I’m excited to get out there.”

While Bichette, who signed with the Mets on a three-year, $126 million contract, has primarily played shortstop over the course of his major league career with the Blue Jays, the Mets have said he will now make the move to be their everyday third baseman.

And Bichette is ready for the challenge.

“I was open to doing anything if it felt like the place I needed to be,” he said. “And like I said, it became very clear that I wanted to be a Met.”

Stearns stated early in the offseason that run prevention was the team’s top priority when it came to reshaping the roster. But with Bichette at third base and Jorge Polanco at first, the Mets have a pair of starting infielders who are starting at new positions.

Speaking to SNY’s Steve Gelbs on Wednesday, Stearns explained that while there will be growing pains along the way, he believes in the athleticism that the Mets have built in their new infield.

“We’re potentially going to have four shortstops on the dirt a lot of days this season,” Stearns said. “From a range perspective, that’s a real advantage. We should be able to cover a lot of ground.

“Now there are certainly going to be learning moments for Bo and Jorge Polanco as well as they understand the intricacies of their positions. But with Bo we’re talking about someone who knows the game so well, someone who understands the game so well, has been around the game for his entire life, has a great work ethic on the field, has the aptitude. We believe he’s going to get there and get there pretty fast.”

Prosecutors are putting their star witness on the stand on Wednesday in their latest effort to prove former Dodgers star Yasiel Puig committed federal crimes.

Donny Kadokawa was called to testify early in the morning as the second day of Puig’s trial got underway in a Downtown Los Angeles courtroom.

Kadokawa said he met Puig at a Dodgers game and the two later got close in January 2019 after Puig attended a youth baseball camp Kadokawa hosted in Hawaii. 

Kadokawa testified he became the go-between for Puig and bookies, including Wayne Nix, a former Minor League pitcher accused of running a massive illegal gambling operation.

Kadokawa said Puig would place bets to him through text messages, and after just a few weeks of making wagers, he went down 10s of thousands of dollars.

Kadokawa testified he earned a commission from Nix for placing bets for Puig, but he gave it back because he was afraid of possible repercussions due to how much Puig owed.

Prior to the questioning of Kadokawa, Puig’s agent Lisette Carnet told The Post she was certain prosecutors were going to use Kadokawa to try to paint Puig “as this very savvy gambler,” though she claimed the reality was he took advantage of Puig.

She also alleged that Kadokawa “took a deal to basically say that Yasiel was doing something wrong.”

Prosecutors have alleged for several years that Puig placed nearly 1,000 illegal bets in 2019 and then lied to investigators about it in 2022.

The feds claim Puig made multiple false statements to them during an interview. They also allege he later sent an audio message where he could be heard admitting to lying to the investigators.

Puig has been charged with one count of obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements. If convicted, Puig faces significant prison time.

Puig once cut a deal with prosecutors to close out the case in November 2022, when he agreed to plead guilty to lying to federal investigators, but he later backed out of the pact.

“I want to clear my name,” he said after reneging on the agreement. “I never should have agreed to plead guilty to a crime I did not commit.”

Court documents show Puig’s trial is expected to last a little over a week. Kadokawa testified throughout Wednesday and is expected to return to the stand on Thursday. Puig showed up for the proceedings in a beige suit jacket with a similar-colored turtle neck.

Puig, 35, made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2013 and spent several years with the team. He wrapped up his career with the Reds and then Cleveland in 2019.

He later played professionally in South Korea as well as the Mexican League.

Nolan McLean likely will be falling off prospect lists everywhere this year as he’s poised for his first full season with the Mets following an impressive 2025 cameo.

But for now, the right-hander leads the way as one of six Mets prospects on Baseball America’s list of the top 100 prospects in the sport, which was released Wednesday.

McLean, 24, comes in at No. 8, followed by outfielder Carson Benge at No. 19; right-hander Jonah Tong at No. 44; middle infielder/center fielder Jett Williams at No. 71; right-hander Brandon Sproat at No. 81 and outfielder/second baseman A.J. Ewing at No. 83.

A third-round pick in 2023, McLean had a 2.06 ERA in eight big-league starts last year, recording 57 strikeouts in 48 innings and a 5-1 record while impressing with his deep arsenal and a fastball that can reach the high 90s.

His spot in the 2026 rotation seems secure, barring an unexpectedly poor spring training.

Tong and Sproat also had late-season stints with the Mets, though they didn’t create the same buzz that McLean did.

In five starts, the 22-year-old Tong had a 7.71 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 18 ⅔ innings after raising his stock tremendously with a 1.59 ERA across 20 Double-A outings.

He was a seventh-round pick in 2022.

Sproat had a 4.79 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 20 ⅔ innings across four MLB starts after posting a 4.24 ERA in 26 Triple-A appearances.

Currently the Mets figure to have a rotation that includes David Peterson, Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea and Clay Holmes. They may still sign a starter in free agency and have been linked to Framber Valdez.

Benge’s path to earning a big-league roster spot got complicated Tuesday when the Mets acquired center fielder Luis Robert from the White Sox.

He could potentially grab the left-field job, especially with Cody Bellinger re-signing with the Yankees on Wednesday.

The 23-year-old, a first-round pick in 2024, hit .281 with an .857 OPS, 15 home runs, 73 RBIs and 22 stolen bases across High-A, Double-A and Triple-A last year in his first full pro season.

Williams, a 22-year-old first-round pick in 2022, hit .261 with an .828 OPS, 17 homers, 52 RBIs and 34 steals in 130 games across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025.

Ewing, a 21-year-old 2023 fourth-round pick, hit .315 with an .830 OPS, three homers, 55 RBIS and 70 steals in 124 games across A-ball, High-A and Double-A last season.