How Yankees’ trade for Alex Verdugo may affect Juan Soto pursuit

NASHVILLE, Tenn. The Yankees made a trade for a lefty-hitting outfielder, but not that one.

They used three pitchers Richard Fitts, Nicholas Judice, and Greg Weissert to land Alex Verdugo from the Red Sox.

That does not preclude the Yankees from still landing their main target, Juan Soto. In fact, they were re-engaged with the Padres to try to obtain the star outfielder.

What are the connections between Verdugo and Soto:

1. The Red Sox and Padres talked about Verdugo during last season. So it is possible that the outfielder could be spun to San Diego as a piece of a Soto deal and a player who was once the key cog Boston received in the Mookie Betts trade could become the much less expensive replacement for another star outfielder. Soto is due about $33 million for the cost-cutting Padres. Verdugo is due about $9 million.

2. But it is probably more likely he remains with the Yankees, who tried considerably harder to land Verdugo in the past from Boston. Fitts, who MLB.com had as the Yankees 12th-best prospect, had long been a player of interest for the Red Sox.

Alex Verdugo is headed to the Yankees from Boston. AP3. Verdugo has not played center with any regularity since 2021 and only has 85 starts there in his career. He probably can handle the position. But he is viewed as an above-average corner outfielder. If the Yankees obtain Soto, my gut says especially at Yankee Stadium, they would play the defensively challenged Soto in right, Verdugo in the tough left field, and Aaron Judge in center.

4. The Red Sox did not trade Verdugo as a salary dump or because they are overloaded with outfielders youngsters Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Jarren Duran are now the projected starters. Verdugo was clearly not a favorite of influential Boston manager Alex Cora, who among other things pulled him from a game last season for not hustling. There are maturity questions. But even Verdugos detractors say he likes to play.

The Yankees have been in pursuit of Juan Soto. Getty Images5. The Yankees not only want to get two lefty-hitting outfielders but would like to also get players who limit strikeouts and are durable. Verdugo and Soto are two of 23 players with 600-plus plate appearances in each of the last three seasons. Verdugo is 11th (among players with 1,500 plate appearances over the last three years) in lowest strikeout percentage (14.9). Soto is 18th at 15.7