Chicago Cubs’ OF Alfonso Soriano has been surrounded around trade rumors all spring training. Soriano’s name was in the news once again, but for the complete opposite. The New York Yankees have been linked to Soriano all camp (especially when Curtis Granderson went down), but the Yankees are no loner a destination for Soriano. The Yankees are prepared to acquire Los Angeles Angels’ OF Vernon Wells for a prospect or two. The name of the prospect(s) going to the Yankees are not yet known. The Yankees are going to pay 13 of the 42 million owed to Wells (6.5M in ’12 and 6.5M in ’13). The deal will be completed once Wells passes a physical and the commissioner signs off since there’s money being exchanged in the deal.
With the Yankees acquiring Wells, the Soriano to Yankees should be put to rest. Even if Wells was to struggle in New York, I can’t see them jumping back in the mix for Soriano. Since the Yankees won’t want to pay anything for two aging outfielders. Plus, they will have a lot of outfielders on their roster. The Yankees decided to go with Wells as he wasn’t going to cost a ‘good’ prospect like Soriano was going to cost. The Cubs are asking for a prospect that can make noise in the minors and the Yankees didn’t want to give in.
The Cubs are prepared to eat 26 of the 36 million left on Soriano’s contract. Soriano is obviously the better player, but the Yankees went a different direction. The Yankees never engaged in serious talks for Soriano with the Cubs, reports Joel Sherman. That honestly surprises me, but it’s the Yankees lost, not the Cubs.
I do expect Soriano to still be traded by the July 31st trade deadline. I’m not sure to who, though. Possibly the Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Philles and Texas Rangers could all be in the mix.