What the trade pundits expected to happen is a go, with Juan Soto set to don Yankee pinstripes.
The teams put an end to the day’s fevered speculation with mutual tweets at 8:20 p.m. PST Wednesday confirming that the star slugger, a Padre since 2022, will head to New York, along with Trent Grisham.
An MLB.com correspondent, Mark Feinsand, had reported about 35 minutes earlier on X that Soto had been informed of the deal, and confirmed earlier reports by New York media, also via X, of which Yankees would head west.
The Padres will get starting pitcher Michael King, prospects Drew Thorpe and Randy Vásquez, reliever Jhony Brito and catcher Kyle Higashioka.
Trade talks were said to have heated up Tuesday, with reports of the trade breaking at midday Wednesday. Speculation about the deal being imminent seemed to be more tempered by the evening, however.
The brief sticking point appeared to be due to the Padres examining medical information regarding the players they would get for Soto.
Soto, 25, a former Washington National, came to the Padres amid much fanfare at the trade deadline in 2022.
He has one year remaining before he becomes a free agent, but it was unclear whether the Padres, which already have committed big money to Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts, could take on another huge contract.
In his six years in the big leagues, he is a .284 hitter with 160 home runs and 483 RBIs. He also is renowned for his discipline at the plate, having drawn 640 walks in his career.
Grisham, a two-time Gold Glove winner, has been in San Diego since 2020. But his performance at the plate has fallen off dramatically – his batting average was below .200 each of the last two years.
Baseball’s winter meetings concluded Wednesday with one of the two biggest questions going in – if Soto would in fact leave San Diego – being settled. Where Shohei Ohtani lands remains to be seen. Padre free agents Blake Snell and Josh Hader also have yet to find a landing spot.
Updated 8:30 p.m. Dec. 6, 2023