Pros and Cons: Should Yankees trade for dude?

The Yankees lineup from the previous season was both injury-plagued and ineffective, so they desperately need some thump.

The perfect outfielder would be a left-handed hitter who specializes in inflicting damage.

Hello, Juan Soto?

As the Padres work out their winter plans, Soto, one of baseball’s biggest offensive threats, may become available via trade. He is a genuine offensive difference-maker who would breathe new life into an attack that trails the formidable Aaron Judge, even though he is one year away from free agency (more on that in the “Cons” section of this Pros and Cons article).

If Soto decides not to stay in San Diego this season, his arrival in The Bronx could be the perfect big-time, vintage Yankee move to change the conversation about a team coming off a disappointing 82-80 season. Despite the risk involved, maybe it will make some fans think differently about GM Brian Cashman and owner Hal Steinbrenner.

Let’s examine the benefits of trading for Soto as well as the drawbacks. Whatever transpires could have a significant impact on how the Yankees look in 2024. and further still.

The Pros

How should we begin? Soto is not that much older than some of the prospects the Yankees might need to trade for him, having just turned 25. Dealing for a slugger whose prime is past does not compare to this. This player is an ascending hitter; his 35 home runs in 2023 marked a career high, and power sometimes develops later in life. What if Soto still has more explosives in him? He could increase his total by swinging for Yankee Stadium’s short right-field porch.

In terms of left-handed hitter at-bats in 2023, the Yankees ranked 29th.That was undoubtedly impacted by Anthony Rizzo’s injury, but still, it’s a low total for a team playing in the Stadium, which is known as a haven for lefties. They would be able to balance a lineup that leans right-handed thanks to Soto’s handedness.

Also, there isn’t much of a lineup at the moment. Last season, the Yankees ranked 29th in batting average, 24th in on-base percentage, and 25th in runs per game. Regardless of your opinion regarding batting average as a metric, it’s terrible that the Yankees were superior to just one team all season—the Athletics, who finished with a record of 112 losses. Yes, injuries played a part in that, but so did inefficiency.

Since Soto began playing in 2018, he has the best career OPS of any player who has appeared in at least 700 games, with a.946 total. In Baseball Reference’s Stathead, Soto falls to third place behind Judge (.980) and Mike Trout (1.024) if the games requirement is reduced to 500.

However, that also highlights another one of Soto’s advantages: he plays a lot. With four consecutive complete MLB seasons under his belt, he has appeared in more than 150 games.

Soto hits a lot of extra bases; since 2018, his.421 on-base percentage is the highest of any player who has appeared in at least 500 games. With that many games played, Soto, Trout, and Freddie Freeman are the only three players who have scored above.400 during that time. Imagine a player batting in front of Judge and getting on base in that manner.

Players who have participated in the MLB Postseason are highly regarded by Yankee fans, and Soto is one of them. Together with Nationals teammate Stephen Strasburg, he received the 2019 Babe Ruth Award, which is presented by the New York chapter of the BBWAA to the best Postseason performer annually, following Washington’s World Series victory. Soto led the team to a seven-game series victory over Houston with three home runs, seven RBI, and an OPS of 1.178. Soto has collected 21 RBI and 12 extra-base hits in 29 postseason games in his career.

Among other giants, Soto is frequently brought up when discussing accomplishment at a young age. Four Hall of Famers—Frank Robinson, Ken Griffey Jr., Orlando Cepeda, and Eddie Mathews—are listed as comparables through the age-24 season on Baseball Reference’s Similarity Scores. Seems like Soto is always in high company.

The Cons

Soto will enter an expensive free agency after his remaining year of club control expires. After spending so much money on players like Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gerrit Cole, and Carlos Rodón, will the Yankees really take on another “aircraft carrier” contract?

Naturally, if they don’t, can they really get noticeably better quickly? What a strange question.

Scott Boras represents Soto, and Boras has successfully transitioned numerous well-known clients to free agency. If the market calls for Soto, it might be challenging to sign him to a contract extension. And once a player is put up for bid, you never know what might occur.

The expense of potential talent is another. Midway through the 2022 season, the Padres traded promising players for Soto; however, they gained control of him for more than two seasons at that point, which increased the talent price. The Yankees would probably bring up the prospect cost of a possible one-and-done acquisition in pinstripes during trade talks.

Then there is Soto’s alleged shortcoming: he is not a very good outfielder. He was in the third percentile last year with minus-9 defensive runs saved, according to MLB’s Statcast. (For the record, before switching to right field in 2019, he was a left field Gold Glove finalist.)He would have to deal with a wide left at the Stadium if he were to play left field every day for the Yankees.

The Verdict

To be honest, it’s simple. If the Padres decide to trade for him, act now. Here are two numbers—33 and 32—that show why.

Judge will turn 32 in April, and Cole turned 33 in September. The Yankees may be wasting their prime years right now.

Make a trade for Soto to show him how good The Bronx can be, and perhaps he will stay to form one of the best hitting tandems in the game with Judge.

The Yankees desperately need Soto’s skills and swagger. He is a star. Right now. Prospects are not a precise science, but it might hurt to trade young players for him. However, Soto is already among baseball’s top offensive players at the age of just 25.