Barry Bonds was Almost a New York Yankees player? MLB Legend Reveals It During 2026 Opening Day

No matter how you feel about him, Barry Bonds is one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball history. He has won a record seven Most Valuable Player Awards and holds a handful of MLB records. However, he revealed one of the more intriguing stories on 2026 Opening Day. Let’s take a closer look at what Bonds said and what that would have meant.

Barry Bonds reveals he was almost a member of the New York Yankees

Barry Bonds is one of the most feared hitters who has ever swung a baseball bat. His 762 career home runs are more than any other player to ever hit a baseball. While appearing on the New York Yankees vs. San Francisco Giants 2026 Opening Day game on Netflix, Bonds made a shocking revelation.

While being asked if he would have ever been a Yankee, Bonds made it known that it actually almost happened. He stated that the late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner told him, as a free agent, that he would give Bonds the highest-paid contract at the time, but he had until 2 p.m. that day to sign. However, Bonds declined since he was being rushed and would ultimately sign with the San Francisco Giants.

This would have been during the 1992-1993 offseason, the year that Steinbrenner was suspended by Major League Baseball. Bonds would return home to San Francisco and spend the final 15 years of his career with the Giants. It is incredible to think how the Yankees would have looked having Bonds in the lineup during the mid-90s, paired with Don Mattingly.

Yankee Stadium’s short porch in right field would have allowed Bonds to hit even more home runs, which would have been incredible to see that figure. However, Yankees were able to have their late-90s dynastic run with the Core Four, so things worked out for the Bronx Bombers.

It would have been intriguing to see Bonds wearing the pinstripes. The butterfly effect it would have had for both San Francisco and New York is outstanding to think about as a possibility.