NEW YORK — Juan Soto’s arrival is an indication the New York Yankees need stars to assist them rebound from their worst season in three many years – a transfer proper out of late proprietor George Steinbrenner’s playbook.
“We certainly want to try under the Steinbrenner leadership to make this the mecca of baseball,” normal supervisor Brian Cashman stated Thursday, a day after buying the three-time All-Star outfielder from San Diego in a seven-player commerce. “George Steinbrenner always felt that the best players in the world should play here for the New York Yankees.
“Hal Steinbrenner and Jenny and Jessica have continued those efforts,” Cashman added, referring to the controlling proprietor’s sisters. “Juan Soto is the latest example of that, of their efforts to try to bring the greatest, most talented baseball players the world can provide to play and call home here in the Bronx.”
New York additionally bought Gold Glove heart fielder Trent Grisham in change for right-handed pitchers Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vásquez and Drew Thorpe together with catcher Kyle Higashioka.
Soto, who turned 25 in October, hit .275 with 35 homers, 109 RBIs and a .930 OPS in his solely full season with the Padres and joins a batting order that features Aaron Judge. Cashman likened pairing Soto with Judge to a card recreation.
“The great thing about the crazy eights is that one’s right-handed, one’s left-handed,” he stated. “And so that creates a tougher lineup to navigate for the opposing pitchers.”
Judge will see appreciable time in heart area reasonably than proper till rookie Jasson Domínguez returns from Tommy John surgical procedure, possible in June or July. Judge was restricted to 106 video games final season by a strained proper hip after which a sprained proper huge toe he harm slamming into the Dodger Stadium wall to make a catch. His absence from the lineup factored into the Yankees going 82-80 and lacking the playoffs for the primary time since 2016.
“We think he’s fine. We think he’s resolved. We think that that issue’s behind him,” Cashman stated. “If opening day was today, he would certainly be running out there in center, which I know he loves. I think if you put truth serum in him, that’s what he’d want to do, regardless.”
Soto was obtained by San Diego from Washington in August 2022 after declining a $440 million, 15-year provide from the Nationals. He is in line for a wage of about $32 million in his final season of arbitration eligibility and may develop into a free agent after subsequent yr’s World Series.
“The future is always now,” Cashman stated. “So ‘24 is our focus and trying to become that last team standing once again as we’ve done in years gone by.”
Cashman stated he hasn’t spoken with Soto‘s agent, Scott Boras, about a long-term deal. New York hopes Soto‘s presence will help attract Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a free agent the Yankees will meet with in California next week.
“Onboarding pitching is going to be important,” Cashman said.
Conversations with San Diego began ahead of last summer’s commerce deadline, together with talks to land outfielder Alex Verdugo from Boston in a deal finalized Tuesday. The negotiations with the Padres resumed on the normal managers’ conferences final month. Negotiations have been slowed by the demise of San Diego proprietor Peter Seidler and San Diego‘s manager search.
Keeping Domínguez and shortstop Anthony Volpe out of a trade was a priority for the Yankees.
“But it didn’t cease them from asking,” Cashman stated.
