The Yankees and Padres were in serious talks about a big trade involving Juan Soto, but things hit a roadblock. San Diego was asking for a lot, including pitcher Michael King, prospect Drew Thorpe, and several other prospects like Randy Vasquez and Jhony Brito. They were also interested in getting salary relief for Soto and center fielder Trent Grisham.
However, the Yankees weren’t thrilled about giving up so much for just a one-year rental of Soto, especially without any guarantee of him signing a contract extension. The Padres seem to think the Yankees are their best option, but some baseball officials suggest they should explore other offers if they think they can get a similar deal.
“The Padres, needing to cut payroll, are motivated to trade Soto, and the Yankees are motivated to acquire him.” https://t.co/pn57xn27Gs
— Darius Glover (@GloverDarius) December 1, 2023
As of Friday evening, no agreement was close, and both teams were thinking about moving on to other business. The Padres, who need to cut payroll, are eager to trade Soto, and the Yankees want to get him, but the current terms are a sticking point.
There’s a possibility that talks could resume, and there’s speculation that involving players like Clarke Schmidt, Vasquez, Brito, and maybe Thorpe could bring them closer to a deal. Meanwhile, the Yankees are also looking into free agent Cody Bellinger. The Padres might decide to wait until Shohei Ohtani picks a team and then explore trade options with other clubs.
