Yankees acquire Juan Soto from Padres in blockbuster trade

The New York Yankees acquired superstar outfielder Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres in a blockbuster trade Wednesday, per multiple reports. It’s the biggest transaction of an otherwise quiet MLB offseason thus far and fulfills New York’s desire to upgrade its middling lineup beyond 2022 American League MVP Aaron Judge. 

Starting pitcher Michael King is the headliner going back to the Padres in the deal, per MLB.com. ESPN reports the Padres will also receive pitching prospects Drew Thorpe, Randy Vasquez and Jhony Brito, with catcher Kyle Higashhioka also headed to San Diego. 

Outfielder Trent Grisham will reportedly join Soto in New York.

In Soto, the Yankees have another perennial All-Star and MVP candidate with a career 157 OPS+, the third-highest mark among active players behind Judge and Mike Trout (minimum 3,000 plate appearances). Soto burst onto the scene as a 19-year-old in 2018 and helped the Washington Nationals win the World Series the following season. He has won four consecutive Silver Slugger awards and led MLB in walks three years in a row. His .421 career on-base percentage is also tops in the majors since he debuted. 

The 25-year-old Soto became available this offseason in the aftermath of Padres owner Peter Siedler passing away, and with the club reportedly looking to cut payroll after needing to take out a $50 million loan in September. Soto is set to hit free agency next winter and is expected to command one of the richest deals in MLB history. Seventeen months ago, the Padres acquired Soto from the Nationals at the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for several top prospects. 

Though Soto’s numbers dipped upon his initial arrival in San Diego, he still helped the club to an NLDS upset over the Los Angeles Dodgers that fall. This past season, he was one of the few bright spots amid the Padres’ disappointing year, notching a .275/.410/.519 slash line with a career-high 35 home runs and 109 RBIs.

Soto will likely play left field for New York, a position that has been one of constant turnover in recent seasons. The Yankees also acquired Alex Verdugo from the Red Sox on Wednesday, which could lead to some interesting defensive alignments in the Yankees’ outfield but surely lengthens their lineup alongside Judge, Anthony Rizzo, DJ LeMahieu and Giancarlo Stanton.

Like Verdugo, Soto is a left-handed hitter who also stands to benefit from playing his home games in Yankee Stadium and its vaunted short porch in right field.

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