The San Diego Padres want to shed some salary, and trading outfielder Juan Soto and his $30 million projected 2024 salary would go a long way.
The New York Yankees need a mashing outfielder, preferably left-handed, to bolster their mediocre offense.
Theoretically, it’s a match made in heaven.
Understandably, the two teams haven’t been able to come to terms on a potential return package for Soto.
The Padres reportedly want as many as seven players (headlined by pitching revelation Michael King and prospect Drew Thorpe) for Soto and fellow outfielder Trent Grisham.
The Yankees, so far, have been reluctant to part with King and Thorpe in the same deal.
The teams stopped talking at one point over the weekend, but with the Winter Meetings taking place in Nashville this week, those talks are expected to pick up.
The Yankees ranked 25th out of 30 teams in runs scored this past season, so landing Soto would be ideal.
You could say they need him badly.
With him in the fold, the lineup could look like this (h/t to MLB Network for the graphic):
What the Yankees lineup could look like if they landed Juan Soto…
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/5lBnn50nXX
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 4, 2023
If everybody is healthy, it’s hard to find a better top four: Gleyber Torres has 25-homer power and posted a .800 OPS in 2023, Soto posted a .930 OPS with a career-high 35 dingers this past campaign, Aaron Judge hit 37 homers in just 106 games, and Rizzo is a .800 OPS guy if he can rebound from his post-concussion syndrome.
After that, things get a bit hairy with the inconsistent and injury-prone Giancarlo Stanton, the declining DJ LeMahieu, and a few high-upside rookies.
Still, having Soto would go a long way in ensuring the top half of the Yankees lineup is consistently productive.
Will the Yankees be able to pull it off and land their man?
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