The New York Yankees are reportedly looking to add a familiar face back to the team, bringing on Alfonso Soriano in a trade to help the team improve its stagnating offense and a deal with the Cubs could be coming very soon, as Chicago is way out of it and already dealt starter Matt Garza.
According to Hardball Talk, Soriano and his 17 home runs could be coming to the Bronx and adding his $7 million for the rest of this year and then $18 million in the final year of his eight-year, $136 million contract is a lot to add, but the Yankees need offense. The team has major issues with Curtis Granderson and Derek Jeter still injured and with the Alex Rodriguez Biogenesis connection getting some heat with Ryan Braun, a move could happen soon.
Travis Hafner has been awful and while Soriano is not what he once was, he could be a solid option while hitting 17 home runs with a .256 average and a solid glove. He had some amazing seasons with the Yankees, including in 2002 with hitting .300 with 39 homers and 41 steals and in 2003 when he hit .290 with 38 homers and 35 steals and 128 runs scored. The Texas Rangers traded some young talent to the Chicago Cubs for right-hander Matt Garza on Monday, adding a quality pitcher to bolster their quest for another shot at the World Series.
The Rangers, American League champions in 2010 and 2011, were ousted in the one-game, wild card playoff last year by the Baltimore Orioles and currently stand three games behind the Oakland A's in the AL West race.
Texas (54-44) sent slugging prospect Mike Olt, as well as pitchers Justin Grimm and C.J. Edwards, plus two players to be named.
In return, the Rangers got Garza, 29, who went 6-1 with a 3.17 earned run average in 11 starts for the rebuilding Cubs (43-53) after starting the season on the disabled list with a strained muscle.
Garza, who can be a free agent after the season, has been red-hot on the mound, posting a 5-0 record with a 1.24 ERA in his past six starts.
The 24-year-old Olt, taken with the 49th overall pick in the 2010 draft, missed the month of May dealing with blurred vision but has come back to bat .247 with 10 home runs and 26 runs batted in over 45 games since his return.
Grimm is 7-7 with a bloated 6.37 ERA in 17 starts this season, while 21-year-old Edwards, 21, was 8-2 with a 1.83 ERA in 18 starts at Class A Hickory. (Reuters Quotes)
