Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that Alfonso Soriano will become a New York Yankee once again, as the Chicago Cubs agreed to trade the slugging left-fielder to the Bronx. The Cubs will eat a chunk of the $25 million remaining on Soriano's contract and they will decide on the prospects they want in exchange for Soriano.
The Yankees' farm system isn't the most prosperous or most talented, so Heyman points out the Cubs' options.
One player, two players, maybe even three? Are the Yankees releasing too much for Soriano? It probably doesn't matter. They need help on offense and the need it now. If anything, the Yankees are getting a deal for the left-fielder. Soriano has out homered the Yankees as a team in the month of July. Coming into Friday, Soriano has eight home runs in July, while the Yankees have a total of five homers, three of which came off the bat of Robinson Cano.
The Yankees are only expected to pay somewhere around the vicinity of $7-8 million dollar for their latest acquisition, making Soriano a steal. The price is a bargain for Soriano's power. He's hit a total of 17 home runs, driving in 51 runs with a .254 batting average on the year. Soriano is very streaky, but the Yankees can use all the help they can get, especially as they are trying to get their payroll under $189 million next season.
Soriano couldn't arrive at a better time as the Yankees host the second place Tampa Bay Rays, who are 60-42, just have half a game from first place behind the Boston Red Sox.
*Deal pending MLB approval.
