Yankees Reportedly 'Solid Favorite' To Land Padres' Juan Soto Despite Speculation

The New York Yankees have been in the news lately because of the possibility of a major blockbuster trade.

New York needs to add offense this offseason and luckily for it, one of the best players in baseball is available. San Diego Padres superstar Juan Soto likely will be traded this offseason as the club looks to shed salary and the Yankees are looking to land him.

Trade talks have stalled of late due to an unrealistic ask by the Padres, but that doesn't mean they won't pick back up. New York and San Diego are expected to return to the negotiating table Monday and it wouldn't be too surprising to see a deal get done. Although there have been rumblings that other teams could join the sweepstakes, New York still is viewed as the favorite to land Soto, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.  

"While the position-player market has been quiet on the free-agent front, the trade market -- well, one in particular -- has been gaining some traction," Feinsand said. "The Friars are expected to move Juan Soto this winter, possibly as early as this week. Despite reports that the Yankees and Padres remain far apart in their talks, New York is still considered a solid favorite to acquire the two-time All-Star, whose left-handed bat would be the perfect tonic for the Yanks’ lineup.

"San Diego is said to be seeking young, Major League-ready pitching in return, so this won’t be the type of prospect-laden deal that landed Soto with the Padres during the summer of 2022. The Yankees could center a package around either Michael King or Clarke Schmidt along with top pitching prospect Drew Thorpe, which could be the type of trade to entice Padres GM A.J. Preller to pull the trigger."

Soto is just 25 years old and is the perfect player to take a chance on. He will be a free agent at the end of the 2024 season but the Yankees certainly could afford him. At this point, it would be a disappointment if Soto isn't wearing pinstripes next year.