According to reports, the New York Yankees are very close to bringing Chicago Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano back to the Bronx, and a deal is almost complete.
Cubs manager Dale Sveum has scratched Soriano from Thursday's lineup in Arizona. Sveum told Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune that the deal is "99 percent done."
There are no specifics to the deal yet, but it is expected that Chicago will pay a large sum of what is owed to Soriano. Soriano's contract goes through next season, and is worth in the neighborhood of $25 million. The Yankees are reportedly hoping to make sure that whatever portion of Soriano's contract they have to pay won't count towards next year's payroll.
Soriano's current deal includes a full no-trade clause, however Soriano isn't opposed to returning to where his MLB career began and has openly stated he'd be a Yankee again.
A return to the American League will be a good fit for Soriano, 38, as he can bat in the designated hitter slot to give his aging body some rest. Soriano is expected to split time at DH and left field
Soriano is batting .257 this year with 17 homers and 51 RBIs through 93 games.
Soriano played five seasons with the Yankees spanning from 1999-2003 and won the World Series with the team in 1999 and 2000. Soriano played in 501 games for the Bronx Bombers, totaling 98 homeruns and 270 RBIs.
Soriano is a four-time Silver Slugger Award winner and a seven-time all-star. He has a career average of .272 with 389 homers and 1,086 RBIs.
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