Juan Soto’s trade to Yankees is COMPLETED in blockbuster MLB move as slugger leaves San Diego Padres and heads to New York
The New York Yankees have completed a lucrative deal for Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres.
Multiple reports late Wednesday said Soto and Trent Grisham were heading to New York. Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Kyle Higashioka, Joni Brito and Randy Vazquez are heading to San Diego from the Yankees.
The move will create a huge buzz at Yankee Stadium as Soto joins Aaron Judge on the Yankees’ roster and will be the marquee signing the team needed after a disastrous 2023 in which they failed to make the playoffs.
Soto and Grisham, as well as Tuesday’s trade with the Boston Red Sox for Alex Verdugo, give the Yankees plenty of options around the 2022 American League MVP Judge.
Soto, a three-time All-Star and four-time Silver medalist, is on a one-year deal, but at 25 years old he has the potential to be a great Yankees player.
“They’ve become all-time greats, and that’s no exaggeration,” Michael Kay said on the YES Network after the news broke. “This guy is an all-time great.
“Look at his numbers at age 25, they match DiMaggio, Babe Ruth, that’s the kind of player they have.” He’s so important, so effective, and he changes the whole thought process, the way people look at the Yankees.
“He’s an impact bat, one of the best hitters in the game,” general manager Brian Cashman told reporters at the winter meetings. “Obviously this is the calling card of the left side that we need. He’s the difference maker in that batter’s box.”
To date, Soto has hit 160 home runs in his MLB career and 483 RBIs, along with 786 total hits and a .421 on-base percentage.
He started with the Washington Nationals before joining the Padres at the 2022 trade deadline.
But signing Soto long-term became unfeasible for the Padres last winter when San Diego added shortstop Xander Bogaerts as a free agent on an 11-year, $280 million contract and also retained third baseman Manny Machado on a whopping 11-year commitment to amount of 350 million dollars.
These contracts come after San Diego signed Fernando Tatis Jr. to a 14-year, $340 million contract in February 2021.
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