Yankees rumors: 3 next moves after acquiring Alex Verdugo in shocking trade
If anyone said that the New York Yankees traded for an outfielder, Juan Soto would've been the obvious guess as to who they had acquired. Even if it wasn't Soto, an outfielder from any other team than the Red Sox would've made sense.
Yet, not only is it a Red Sox outfielder, it's a Red Sox outfielder who has had an altercation with Yankees fans already! Alex Verdugo is somehow a New York Yankee in the most shocking transaction of the offseason thus far.
Remember when Alex Verdugo took on Yankee fans pic.twitter.com/2A1zKMESFH
— Fuzzy (@fuzzyfromyt) December 6, 2023
Ignoring the fact that this deal was made with their arch-rivals, the Verdugo addition makes some sense. He's a left-handed hitter who is familiar with the AL East and has tons of experience playing at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees desperately needed outfielder help, and Verdugo provides that for the 2024 season.
While he's an upgrade over what they had, Verdugo doesn't get them much closer to where they want to be. There's still a lot of work Brian Cashman has in front of him to get this Yankees team back to true contender status.
1) The Yankees must trade for Juan Soto even after acquiring Alex Verdugo
It's felt like destiny for much of the offseason, and even after the Verdugo deal there's no reason New York should end this offseason without Juan Soto as part of their team. The Verdugo addition makes the Soto fit a bit weirder, but it's still a no-brainer.
The way New York would theoretically align their defense is sticking Verdugo in left, Aaron Judge in center, and Juan Soto in right. Verdugo and especially Soto are subpar defenders, so even with Judge's age and injury history in mind, the Yankees are practically forced to use him in center field at least most of the time.
The defense might suffer, but Soto's bat makes it more than worthwhile. He's the perfect fit at Yankee Stadium to hit right in front of or behind Judge and finally get this Yankees offense back on track. The Yankees ranked 25th in runs scored this past season. Even the 56-106 Royals scored more runs than them. Adding Soto, even if it's just for a year, can help transform this offense and get the Yankees back in true contention.