Full details of Juan Soto to Yankees trade

Following an offseason filled with speculation about the New York Yankees' interest in trading for Juan Soto, the outfielder is now set to don the iconic pinstripes.

In a recently finalized deal, the Yankees and the San Diego Padres have successfully completed a trade that will see both Soto and fellow outfielder Trent Grisham joining the New York squad.

In exchange for Soto and Grisham, the Padres will be receiving pitchers Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez, Drew Thorpe, and catcher Kyle Higashioka.

Among the pitchers headed to the Padres, King, Brito, and Vasquez all had stints with the big-league club in 2023. Vasquez, 25, delivered a solid performance with a 2-2 record, a 2.87 ERA, and a 1.27 WHIP over 37.2 innings for the Yankees last season. Brito, also 25, posted a 9-7 record with a 4.28 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP over 90.1 innings in the majors. Meanwhile, King, 28, started nine games but has predominantly served as a reliever throughout his career, boasting a 3.38 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 247.2 career innings. Thorpe, a second-round pick in 2022, showcased his talent with a 14-2 record, a 2.52 ERA, and a 0.98 WHIP across two levels of minor-league ball last season.

This marks the second trade for Soto in a year and a half, with the Washington Nationals having sent him and Josh Bell to San Diego ahead of the 2022 trade deadline. Despite a sluggish start to the 2023 season, Soto rebounded impressively, finishing with a .275 batting average, 35 home runs, and leading the league with 132 walks. His stellar performance earned him an All-Star selection and a Silver Slugger award.

As Soto enters his final season under team control, the Yankees are making a significant pitching depth sacrifice in their quest to rejuvenate a team that posted an 82-80 record in 2023.

This acquisition of Soto and Grisham follows the Yankees' recent trade for outfielder Alex Verdugo from the rival Red Sox, for which they parted with three pitching prospects.

Clearly dissatisfied with their 2023 finish, the Yankees are aggressively working towards a substantial improvement in their on-field performance for the upcoming 2024 season. The notable pitching trades indicate a potential strategy to sign additional arms during the offseason, with the team reportedly in contention for some of the top pitchers in the market.