The San Diego Padres officially sent outfielders
Juan Soto and
Trent Grisham to the New York Yankees in a blockbuster trade on Wednesday in exchange for right-handers
Michael King,
Drew Thorpe,
Jhony Brito, and
Randy Vasquez, and catcher
Kyle Higashioka. The Padres cleared payroll space and acquired some much-needed pitching help with this massive deal. King, 28, could give the team a solid mid-rotation starter, but he struggled in the big leagues before 2023 and has already dealt with a major elbow injury. Thorpe, 23, was the Yankees' No. 5 prospect and could be a rotation option down the line, but he has yet to pitch above Double-A. Brito, 25, doesn't miss many bats and is likely ticketed for a relief role after struggling as a starter in the majors. Vasquez, 25, has durability questions but could serve as a back-end starter for the Friars. And Higashioka, 34, has some decent power and should serve as
Luis Campusano's backup.