New York Yankees Pull Off Blockbuster Trade, Acquire San Diego Padres Superstar Juan Soto
The San Diego Padres have agreed to trade outfielder Juan Soto to the New York Yankees, MLB Network’s Joel Sherman reported late Wednesday night.
The deal started to publicly take shape throughout the day, but it took several hours for the clubs to cross their Ts and dot their Is. The teams are expected to officially announce the deal shortly, per Sherman.
The Yankees are giving up right-handed pitchers Michael King and Drew Thorpe to bring in the 25-year-old superstar, who is slated to become a free agent next winter. Also headed to the Padres are right-handed pitchers Jhony Brito and Randy Vásquez, plus longtime backup catcher Kyle Higashioka, a package first disclosed by YES Network host Jack Curry.
Thorpe was ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the Yankees' farm system and the No. 99 prospect in baseball, while the 28-year-old King owns a 3.38 ERA as a reliever and spot starter since reaching the big leagues in 2019. Vásquez was New York's No. 13 prospect.
Joining Soto on his way from the Padres to the Yankees is outfielder Trent Grisham, a 27-year-old two-time Gold Glove winner.
Soto spent roughly 16 months in San Diego, as the Padres acquired him in a megadeal with the Washington Nationals at the 2022 MLB Trade Deadline. To land Soto and first baseman Josh Bell, the Padres had to give up 21-year-old shortstop C.J. Abrams, 23-year-old starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore, veteran first baseman Luke Voit, top outfielder prospects Robert Hassell III and James Wood and teenage right-hander Jarlin Susana.
Although Soto suffered one of the worst slumps of his career down the stretch in 2022, he more than returned to form in 2023.
Soto played in all 162 games for the Padres, racking up 35 home runs, 109 RBI and a 5.5 WAR. He hit .275 with a .930 OPS on the year, batting .340 with and 1.151 OPS during San Diego's last-ditch playoff push in September.
For his career, Soto already has 768 hits, 160 home runs, 483 RBI and a 28.6 WAR while batting .284 with a .946 OPS. After leading the National League in walks in each of the last three seasons, Soto has more career walks – 640 – than he does strikeouts – 577.
Soto is a three-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger and one-time Home Run Derby champion. He also won a World Series ring with the Nationals in 2019, and he has finished top 10 in NL MVP voting in four of the last five years.
The Padres were projected to pay Soto $33 million in arbitration salary next season, according to MLB Trade Rumors. Given the massive contracts they've handed out to Xander Bogaerts, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. in recent years, they were unlikely to extend Soto beyond 2024.
The Yankees, on the other hand, have proven time and time again that they are willing to shell out serious cash for star players such as Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole and Giancarlo Stanton. Prior to adding Soto, Fangraphs projected New York's payroll to be $257 million heading into next season.
By acquiring Alex Verdugo in a rare trade with the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday, then Soto and Grisham on Wednesday, the Yankees have completely reshaped their outfield after missing the playoffs and ranking 25th in runs in 2023.
Manager Aaron Boone told reporters Wednesday morning that Judge could be their full-time center fielder in 2024, leaving the corner spots open for Soto and Verdugo. 20-year-old outfielder Jasson Domínguez, New York's No. 2 prospect and the No. 74 prospect in baseball, will also be waiting in the wings once he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
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