Chicago Cubs’ OF Alfonso Soriano is back in the headlines about a possible trade partner once again. During yesterday’s spring training game vs. the San Francisco Giants, news broke that New York Yankees’ OF Curtis Granderson will miss time with a broken forearm. An initial report said Granderson will miss 8-10 weeks, but was later changed to 5 weeks of lost time. Right when the news broke, the speculation began about Soriano and the Yankees.
The Yankees, of course, denied they would pursue Soriano and will go with in-house replacements until Granderson is back in action. It actually makes sense for the Yankees because Granderson could return from the DL when the 15 days are finished if the reports are correct.
On Tuesday, Soriano told Gordon Wittenymer of the Chicago Sun-Times that he will not accept a trade to the Yankees. The Yankees are also not on Soriano’s new list of teams he would approve a trade to.
Last week, Soriano and his agent met with the Cubs about a possible trade and Soriano gave a list of 6-7 teams of whom he would approve a trade to. The teams are most likely in the Central or the East as he doesn’t want to play on the West Coast.
I wrote an article on Soriano and his new list of teams last week and you can find it here.
Soriano keeps going back and fourth on a possible return to the Yankees. He told Buster Olney of ESPN last summer he would approve a trade to the Yankees.
Soriano was asked about a trade to the Yankees and this is what he had to say; “I would have to think about it, but I want to win here [with the Cubs].”
“I don’t want to say no of yes quick, I’d have think about. My family and friends will have an influence on my decision.”
Soriano keeps saying he wants to win in a Cubs uniform, but that’s unlikely to happen in the final 2 years of his contract. Soriano wants to at least remain a Cub until they fall out of contention.
Jon Heyman of Cbssports.com says the Yankees should make a play for Soriano and that GM Brian Cashman’s next call should be to Theo Epstein/Jed Hoyer. Heyman said he would be a better DH than what they have now and one of their top right-handed hitters on the team. Heyman and many teams are surprised Soriano hasn’t been traded and is still a Cub.
Buster Olney chimed in and said the Cubs will pay the majority of the 36 million owed to Soriano. Yeah, what we knew for the past couple seasons.
I don’t think Soriano will be traded very soon, but at some point he will. I don’t know if it’ll be the Yankees, but they will be linked to Soriano until he is traded.
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