Some trades make too much sense not to happen. Juan Soto to the Yankees is one of them.
The Padres will trade Soto somewhere to reduce their payroll as he enters his platform season before free agency. The Yankees for years have needed a big left-handed bat, especially to make pitchers challenge Aaron Judge more often. Soto is the perfect fit.
The holdup is the Padres value Soto as if banking the Yankees will re-sign him—as something more than a rental. That’s not necessarily the case. But even if it’s a one-year trial, it’s a trade New York must make. Michael King is a nice pitcher with outstanding stuff, but he last threw 110 innings in 2018. He does not get in the way of acquiring one of the five best pure hitters in baseball.
