FILE -San Diego Padres' Juan Soto bats during the third inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in Houston. The New York Yankees have acquired All-Star slugger Juan Soto in a trade with the cost-cutting San Diego Padres, according to two people with knowledge of the deal. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday night Dec. 6, 2023 because the trade had not yet been announced by either team.(AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox, File)
NEW YORK (AP) – The New York Yankees acquired All-Star slugger Juan Soto in a blockbuster trade with the cost-cutting San Diego Padres on Wednesday night.
San Diego received right-handed pitchers Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vásquez and Drew Thorpe along with catcher Kyle Higashioka. In addition to Soto, the Yankees get Gold Glove center fielder Trent Grisham.
Both teams announced the trade late Wednesday night.
It’s the second blockbuster deal involving the 25-year-old Soto in less than two years. The three-time All-Star has one season of team control left and is likely to get a salary around $32 million after batting .275 with 35 homers, 109 RBIs and a .930 OPS in his only full season with the Padres.
San Diego acquired Soto from Washington on Aug. 2, 2022, after he turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer from the Nationals.
Soto joins a Yankees outfield that projects to have fellow All-Star Aaron Judge in center and newly acquired Alex Verdugo in the other corner. Soto, like Verdugo, adds a left-handed bat to a lineup that was righty heavy for several seasons. Yankees lefties had 55 homers and 171 RBIs last year while righties had 164 homers and 479 RBIs. New York missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
___
Wilson reported from San Diego.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
