It’s Thanksgiving Day, and all I can think of is Juan Soto donning New York Yankees pinstripes.
It’s the absolute worst. I should be watching the parade with the family, enjoying my three-year-old go nuts at the Bluey float and bad Broadway lip-syncs. Or betting (and losing) on the upcoming NFL games, or psyching myself up for Black Friday.
Instead, I’m waiting for literally any update out of Yankeeland. Pumpkin pie? No thanks, Yoshinobu Yamamoto might be signed soon. And should I get a Juan Soto jersey in pinstripes or road greys?
Give it to me straight, dear readers: Do I need to get my sports-shit together?
The baseball offseason has barely begun and it seems it’s not a matter of if the Yankees trade for Juan Soto, but when. The Padres’ 25-year-old slugger hit .275 last season with 35 home runs and 109 RBI last year while also leading MLB in walks for the third time in his career. He’s a year away from free agency and the Yankees would love to not only trade for him, but probably sign him long-term.
The rest of the sports world seems prepared for this to happen too. ESPN’s Jeff Passan recently went on The Michael Kay Show and said the Yankees have a “good chance” to acquire Soto. We also built our own theoretical trade package to send to the Dodgers, and so did Brendan Kuty at The Athletic.
It’s practically baseball’s worst-kept secret. The Yankees desperately need outfield help and would love to have Juan Soto. His lefty swing is a perfect match for Yankee Stadium’s short porch. Imagine if general manager Brian Cashman trades for Soto and then adds Cody Bellinger to play center field.
Not a dream, folks. MLB insider Jon Morosi thinks it may actually happen:
"The Yankees are going to be all over [Juan] Soto in the same way that they're all over Cody Bellinger."
– @jonmorosi on #MLBNHotStove pic.twitter.com/E6quRaDrsp
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 22, 2023
It all comes down to simple money reasons and even simpler baseball reasons. The Padres desperately need cheap pitching and need to offload Soto’s expiring contract, estimated at $30 million for 2024. Enter the Yankees, who have more young MLB-ready pitching than they do available roster spots.
How many teams are prepared to give up not one, not two, but potentially three major league quality arms in a trade? What’s more, how many are willing to assume the risk of Juan Soto leaving in a year? The rumors have been fairly quiet but given the signals from Morosi and others?
When it comes to the Soto trade sweepstakes, the Yankees may stand alone. If they’re truly motivated to make a deal, Cashman can make it happen. New York has the pieces.
Now, let’s say the immortal words before filling our plates and watching some football:
Mr. Cashman, go and get your man.
