The Yankees and Padres were in a stalemate regarding a Juan Soto deal, but don’t worry Yankee fans, the deal isn’t dead. After making an offer that would have required the Yankees to part ways with seven players, Brian Cashman rejected the offer and talks slowed down to a crawl. While this doesn’t ensure that the two parties will agree on a deal, Brendan Kuty of The Athletic has reported that they’ll re-engage in talks tomorrow on Monday and the team feels good about their position on a potential deal.
The Toronto Blue Jays are also part of the Juan Soto sweepstakes, but with this report, the two sides could get closer to a deal. San Diego covets arms like Michael King and Drew Thorpe, and while the Yankees are hesitant to deal the two in a package for one year of Juan Soto, it’s clear that there’s some motivation to get a deal done.
Yankees and Padres Look to Find Conclusion to Juan Soto Sweepstakes
One of the biggest topics on social media right now pertains to Juan Soto, who the Yankees not only really want, but also know their fanbase desires as well. Coming off of a disappointing 2023 season where the team went just 82-80, they’ll have to do something big, and Andy Martino of SNY confirmed on MLB Network Radio that the team is set on doing something “dramatic”. That could mean a potential signing of Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Cody Bellinger, but everybody knows the Yankees need a bat like Juan Soto.
A 25-year-old left-handed hitter who has the postseason pedigree and on-field flare to shine in the Bronx is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, but the Padres aren’t the ones who hold all the cards. With San Diego having well-documented financial issues, the team is clearly in desperation mode to not only clear payroll but also add pitching and try to compete next season. Perhaps the two sides settle on dealing Clarke Schmidt instead of Michael King, which would allow the Yankees to retain a starter they feel strongly about.
Young arms like Jhony Brito and Randy Vasquez could be included as well, and if the Yankees attach a top pitching prospect like Chase Hampton or Drew Thorpe, it could get this deal to the finish line. The Yankees have a history of making big moves at the Winter Meetings, as last season they famously came down to the wire on bringing back Aaron Judge, who nearly walked to San Francisco. As for Gerrit Cole, they reached a deal in the dark of the night, inking the 2023 AL Cy Young Winner to the largest contract ever handed out to a pitcher.
To right the wrongs of the past calendar year, the Yankees know landing Juan Soto is the only course of action, but they also know that they have what the Padres need. While the Blue Jays are certainly involved, they’ve had discussions and it doesn’t seem like names have been exchanged as of yet. As for what they could offer, barring the shocking development that they’d trade Ricky Tiedemann for a rental, they can’t really top the Yankees offer; and Brian Cashman knows that.
As talks continue, we’ll see if the two sides can reach a deal with the notoriously stubborn AJ Preller, who knows his team is in a financial pickle, but still wants to get a fair return for his superstar. The Padres and Yankees continuing their negotiations is a good sign for their chances to land Juan Soto, and as for the Yankees’ belief in landing him, they feel as if they’re in a good spot to make a move that’ll certainly please fans, critics, and personnel alike.