Yankees release seven-time All-Star Alfonso Soriano
On Monday, the New York Yankees released outfielder Alfonso Soriano, according to Major League Baseball’s online transactions page.
The Yankees had designated the seven-time All-Star for assignment on July 6, giving themselves 10 days to either release, waive or trade Soriano.
The two-time Silver Slugger Award winner was batting .221 with six home runs and 23 RBI in 238 plate appearances this season before being released almost 10 years to the day after winning the 2004 All-Star Game MVP award. He is 50th on the all-time home run list with 412 career round-trippers.
Soriano, 38, was part of an aging Yankees roster beleaguered by injuries. He was the fourth-oldest member of the oldest team in the league.
Soriano first made the majors in 1998, signing with the Yankees as a free agent. He would go on to win two World Series with the team in 1999 and 2000. He returned to New York in 2013 after stints with Texas, Washington and the Chicago Cubs. This was Soriano’s 16th major-league season.
Soriano was demoted from the starting designated hitter role earlier this season after posting feeble offensive numbers in April and May. Yankees manager Joe Girardi announced last month Soriano would split time with fellow veteran Ichiro Suzuki in right field. That arrangement lasted only 13 games.
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- Will Green
