NEW YORK CITY: The New York Yankees, fighting to stay in the hunt for a Major League Baseball play-off berth, obtained outfielder Alfonso Soriano yesterday in a trade with the Chicago Cubs.
The deal, confirmed by the Yankees in a Twitter posting, sent developmental-level pitcher Corey Black to the Cubs in exchange for Soriano, a slugger who has blasted 10 home runs in his past 21 games.
In addition, the Cubs will pay for a major portion of Soriano’s remaining $24.5m salary in a contract that lasts through next year. Reports in Chicago and New York said the payout would cover most of the $18m due Soriano in 2014.
Soriano was set to take the field for the Yankees yesterday after the deal, which came just five days before the Major League Baseball trade deadline.
Soriano, who began his major league career with the Yankees in 1999 and stayed with them through 2003, has 10 homers since June 28 while the Yankees as a team have managed only eight in that span.
The Yankees made the deal standing 54-48, fourth in the American League East division but only 2 1/2 games behind Baltimore for the final play-off spot.
Soriano, hopes to turn back the clock and turn the Yankees into a World Series threat once more. They won the championship final in 1999 and 2000 and lost in the World Series twice during Soriano’s first stay.AFP
