Help is on the way for the soft-swinging Yankees, as they have completed a deal with the Chicago Cubs for power-hitting outfielder Alfonso Soriano.
According to reports, the Yankees will send a low-tier pitching prospect in return for Soriano, an ex-Yankee, who can provide them with much-needed right-handed power.
The Yankees, who are concerned with trimming payroll to under $188 million next season, are getting financial aid from Chicago in the deal. The Cubs will pick up $17.7 million of the remaining $24.5 million on his contract which runs through next season. Of the $18 million he is owed in 2014, the Yankees must only pay him $5 million.
Soriano is an ex-Yankee who was traded in 2003 to the Texas Rangers in a megadeal for Alex Rodriguez. Since then, Soriano's game has changed. He is no longer the power and speed threat he represented as the Yankees second baseman, however his power remains.
This season Soriano is batting a respectable .254 with 17 home runs and 51 RBI. Last season, Soriano belted 32 home runs and hit .262. While his OPS is an unimpressive ..754 in 2013, last year's surprise campaign ended with him posting a figure of .821 in that category.
Soriano sounded excited about the opportunity to re-join the Bombers. "It was great when I used to be with the Yankees," Soriano said. "My best friend with the team is [Derek] Jeter and he's still there. [Mariano] Rivera is still there too. And me and [Robinson] Cano are good friends, too, because we're from the same town. I could feel very good with the Yankees because I've been part of the family before with them."
He could also make history in the Bronx this year. Soriano is 11 hits away from 2,000 for his career, and 11 home runs from reaching 400.
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