Thorpe, King, Spencer Jones, Torres, and More: Inside Scoop on Who’s On and Who’s Off the Table in Yankees Juan Soto Pursuit

The New York Yankees are salivating at the prospect of onboarding Juan Soto. But this acquisition seems to be coming at a huge cost. While the San Diego Padres’ demands skyrocket, the Yanks are at a crossroads. Well, it appears that the Padres can satiate the Yankees’ hunger for the 25-year-old only in exchange for some of the key players from the Bronx. 

As one speaks of the (rightly expected) high demands of the Friars, it is important to assess which Yankee is in and which is out. Some names that do come up in this discussion include Michael King, Drew Thrope, and Gleyber Torres among others. Now, for New York, it all boils down to one question. It is worth it?

Who’s Potentially Out of the New York Yankees? 

While one can’t negate the catalytic element Soto could bring to the yearning Yanks, would the mega-franchise bid farewell to their pitchers? As per a sny.tv article, San Diego was requesting pitcher Michael King, pitching prospect Drew Thorpe, and a couple of other prospects. The list goes on. 

Randy Vasquez and Jhony Brito are names that appear on the list too, per league sources briefed on the discussions. Also, some sources say, San Diego was considering salary relief for center fielder Trent Grisham in addition to Soto. The Friars seem to be presenting a non-negotiable ask here. 

A Padres official stated, “If they think they can get a deal from another club like the one they’re asking for from the Yankees, they should do it right now”. That said, the Yankees are potentially the only suitors for the Dominican. While the possibility of some names moving out of the Bronx exists, there are names that are likely to stay back. 

Who’s Potentially Staying In? 

According to insiders, Gleyber Torres, Austin Wells, Everson Pereira, and Jasson Dominguez are spared of the trade. Anthony Volpe too seems to stick around wearing pinstripes in 2024. While these players are off the hook, there is one thing to remember. San Diego is as resolute on cutting costs as New York is on strengthening their out fielding. The teams could plausibly go to lengths to achieve that. 

Read More: Michael King or Clarke Schmidt? Who Will the Yankees Keep in a Juan Soto Trade?

It is also to key to remember that Soto, even if he were to sign with NYY, would stick around for not more than a year. Though the discussions are heated at the moment, the two teams might wait it out. As the teams step further into winter, there might be some more clarity after Cody Bellinger and Shohei Ohtani deals are confirmed. While there is no conclusion to this tug-of-war yet, it is worth keeping an eye on the details to predict the closure.  

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