I hate the Yankees but......
 

I think Soto is a great pickup.

Anyone know if they gave up anything of value to acquire him?

1-year rental and 5 players to move up to 3rd place? Overspent.

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They only have to pay him for one year. I don't think it's overspending. Soto is one of the few players in the league who produces in line with their salary. He finished 6th in MVP last year and had a 158 OPS+.

They gave up a lot of pitching prospects but that doesn't scare me. I can't remember the last time the Yankees traded a pitching prospect who went on to be an All Star or something. Maybe not since Eric Milton?

Thorpe (23 y/o) and King (28 y/o) are the two best pitchers they gave up (plus several other serviceable players). They previously had been loath to give up either one of them. Obviously Soto is exactly the kind of bat they need but it's quite a lot to give up for a 1 year rental. Let's see if they get real about trying to win and finally DFA the corpse of Stanton...

In terms of proven major league Talent? King was a very good reliever, who showed the potential to start towards the end of the season. The other pitching prospect, was Drew Thorpe who won the Minor League Pitcher of the Year. However the Yankees have struggled in the past with developing starting pitching. You can count on one hand the truly effective Starters that have emerged from the farm system of the Yankees. The other three players are two fringe major league pitchers, good for the occasional spot start, and a backup catcher.

Even if it's a one year rental, I think the Yankees made the wise choice. Their two best players are in their primes, they clearly needed to shift the focus to "Win Now." I don't think anyone would argue that Soto is one of the best hitters in baseball. Lastly, while this is speculation on my part, I would be shocked if Soto doesn't end up re-signing with them. He will go to Free Agency, but ownership has a good relationship with Scott Boras.

Soto is perfect for their lineup. I love his analytics, and if he and Judge can both stay healthy for a full season, they should score a lot of runs with the meat of that lineup. It will help Gleyber being more protected in the lineup also.

They did give up a lot of pitching depth for a one year rental however. Even if they sign him, let's face it...it's still a one year rental. Whatever the next team has to pay in years and dollars is going to be the true cost to acquire him.

Salary wise, he's a relative bargain for 1 year. For 11 years? That's another question entirely.

I'm not happy with losing Michael King. Wish they could have convinced them to take Clarke Schmidt instead. King was a huge depth piece who was almost un-hittable out of the bullpen, while also putting up some really good numbers in his spot-starting duties.

Drew Thorpe also killed it in his 1st minor league season last year, coming out of college. Hope that one doesn't bite us in the ass down the line.

All the other players are replaceable, though Jhony Brito is a grinder and I wouldn't be surprised if he made a decent 3rd or 4th starter down the line for somebody.

I think it was a smart trade for the a Yankees and when added to picking up Verdugo.

They have strengthened their outfield(even Trent Grisham who cannot hit and was the add in to the Soto Trade helps provide depth for his defense)

They have better defense out their, more power out their, and their on base compared to past years go thru the roof which will lead to more runs scored.

It also make them more attractive to some of the top pitchers it looks like the Yankees have a plan.

The Yankees are generally right about their pitchers. They hold on to the good ones and deal the ones they feel aren't more than league average. As I said, aside from Eric Milton, I can't think of a single Yankees pitching prospect who was traded and went on to become an All Star in recent memory.

Juan Soto is a perennial MVP candidate. He is exactly the player you would hope your prospects turn into. It makes more sense to trade for him as he is than to hold onto Drew Thorpe in case he's almost as good.

IMO there's a good case to be made for Grisham becoming the primary CF. Better defensively than Judge, let Judge play RF to cut down his risk of re-injury. Put Verdugo in LF and Soto DH. If they refuse to get rid of Stanton, maybe platoon him with Verdugo.

Eventually Dominguez will be back to. Though I think he projects more as a Corner outfielder. Depth pieces are never bad to have. I wouldn't be surprised if Verdugo is dealt at the deadline, for whatever the Yankees feel like they need at that point. He's in his last year of arbitration and he doesn't necessarily strike me as a player that is going to be brought back.

Stanton is what he is right now. I don't think they outright DFA him. I think they at least explore a scenario where they eat most of his contract and trade him for some minor pieces. Entire situation with him is sad. Otherworldly talent that can't help but keep getting hurt. He seemed like a lock for 500-600 Homers when he was younger.

Yeah, I worry about Judge having to play CF on a regular basis as well.

He played over 70 games in Center, during his MVP campaign. I think I'm actually more worried for him in Right Field. Those corners/walls are very tricky in some stadiums. Hell when he got hurt last year it was because of the Dodgers right field gate/fence.

Hi

In theory that is good. But because of the contract they will not cut Stanton and trading him will be in possible.

Judge in center does increase his risk of injury I 100% agree. But with his batting last several years at or under .200 they are not going to sacrifice the bat.
I see Grisham as providing days off, late defensive replacement. On "rest days" when they put Judge or Soto as a DH and/ore when Stanton is injured then they play Grisham more at center.

The key is they have options, they have depth, and they have people that can get on without striking out so much

I like Verdugo out there. Grisham is likely just insurance for injuries, resting guys, and a late inning defensive replacement. If he gets as many at bats as he did with the Padres, it means something has gone horribly wrong. He's Harrison Bader lite. Maybe more durable, but with more strikeouts and an even worse batting average.

I don't think I can justify putting a hole in the lineup like that every day, for a fielder who tracks down less then 2 balls a game and doesn't throw anybody out...a "defensive whiz", whose defensive metrics took a big dive last year, for whatever reason.

Maybe the Yankees reteach him how to hit, I don't know. He did have a decent run at AAA in 2019, which is an outlier to all his other minor league seasons.

Soto's not a good outfielder either, but I think he does less harm, over in left field, then Grisham improves any situation in center.

Also, don't know how Judge increases his chances of getting hurt in Centerfield. He's not a diver (ie. Harrison Bader, Eric Davis), but he does bang into walls every once in awhile. Walls are further away in Centerfield. If just the fact of him covering more ground with his legs, puts him more at risk of an injury, they might as well just put him at DH right now, and fire half the rest of the team who are also competing for DH at bats...because it's inevitable it's going to happen no matter which outfield spot he plays.

I don't recall anybody arguing that CF is a high impact position. Guys will age out of the position, because they've lost a step or the ability to track balls as well, but nobody ends up on the disabled list because they play CF. Some guys play reckless in the OF, and will do so, no matter what spot you put them in out there. It's just in their nature.

If Grisham's bat doesn't come around at least a little bit from his last couple of years production, I wouldn't be surprised if the Yankees just DFA/Waive him at some point, just like they did Bader last year.

Yeah, I see what you are saying about his toe injury being from the wall.

But from an article posted today in the Athletic:

"Let us hear from The Mayor, who just happens to be the Yankees’ previous hitting coach, and hates the idea of Aaron Judge playing center field.

Sean Casey, step to the microphone.

“No. No. No. No. No. I do not want Judgie as my center fielder,” Casey said Wednesday on his podcast, “The Mayor’s Office.” “I just think center field is so demanding, dude, and he’s such a big guy, and to have to demand him to go so far in the gaps and be on the run — you have to cover more ground as a center fielder. The wear and tear on his body — I don’t like it . . . I don’t think Boonie does, either.”"

https://youtu.be/PfUCHXyMpio

Article points out that if Giancarlo Stanton gets injured again, that Judge may see time at DH.

Taking "but" out of the title might attract more readers.:D

I can't see Judge as an everyday center fielder. As far as Soto, I think unless it's an insane deal you have to take a player like that whenever the opportunity presents itself.

I think they had to get him and I think they overpaid a little for a year with hopes of signing him long term.

But I think it was a good move and believe they solidified their outfielder and their overall line up

But they will have a lot of work to do if they want to compete in the Tough AL East.

In my opinion on paper they look like the third best team at the moment and in playing games they could be between 2nd and 4th place.

I loved watching Soto hit, so I'm bummed that I'm geographically and generationally hardwired to root against him now. I hope NY is just a pit stop so I can go back to wishing him a long and prosperous career.