The first blockbuster of the 2023-24 MLB offseason went down Wednesday night. The New York Yankees acquired three-time All-Star Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres in a seven-player trade that, most notably, sent right-hander Michael King and top pitching prospect Drew Thorpe to the Friars. The Yankees needed an impact left-handed bat and they got one of the best lefty hitters in the game.
"He's as good an offensive player as there is," manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday before the trade. "He is a machine offensively. On-base, power, has accomplished a ton already at a young age. Durable. Has been a central figure in a world championship team. Has come with a lot of fanfare and been one of the rock solid performers in our sport on the offensive side of the ball, year in and year out."
Soto is not the only left-handed hitting outfielder the Yankees acquired at the Winter Meetings. The Yankees also sent three pitching prospects to the AL East rival Boston Red Sox for Alex Verdugo earlier in the week. There was some thought Verdugo could be flipped to the Padres in a Soto trade, but that did not happen. He remains with the Yankees.
With Verdugo and Soto in tow, New York's regular lineup against right-handed pitchers could look something like this. I'd say this is a lot better than the lineup the Yankees fielded in 2023, which ranked 29th in batting average, 27th in on-base percentage, and 25th in runs scored.
- LF Alex Verdugo, LHB
- CF Aaron Judge, RHB
- RF Juan Soto, LHB
- 1B Anthony Rizzo, LHB
- 2B Gleyber Torres, RHB
- 3B DJ LeMahieu, RHB
- DH Giancarlo Stanton, RHB
- C Austin Wells, LHB
- SS Anthony Volpe, RHB
Would the Yankees really hit Stanton seventh? It seems unlikely, but Torres and LeMahieu are better hitters right now. Soto and Rizzo back-to-back will invite lefty relievers from opposing managers, so perhaps Torres slides into the cleanup spot and Rizzo into the No. 5 hole. That said, Soto and Rizzo both historically hit lefties very well. Those two back-to-back isn't a major concern.
Verdugo has not hit much against lefties throughout his career, so bumping him down in the lineup against southpaws makes sense. Otherwise the Yankees don't have many platoon candidates other than the rookie Wells at catcher. Against lefties, Boone could run this lineup out there:
- 3B DJ LeMahieu, RHB
- CF Aaron Judge, RHB
- RF Juan Soto, LHB
- DH Giancarlo Stanton, RHB
- 1B Anthony Rizzo, LHB
- 2B Gleyber Torres, RHB
- SS Anthony Volpe, RHB
- LF Alex Verdugo, LHB
- C Jose Trevino, RHB
Even during his career-worst 2023 season, Stanton still put up a .265/.324/.618 line against lefties. He's a dangerous platoon bat if nothing else, so putting him higher in the lineup against a lefty starter -- and thus giving him a better chance at three at-bats against the lefty -- is sensible. Trevino's a glove more than a bat, but it would make sense to shelter Wells against lefties initially.
Jasson Dominguez, the Yankees' top prospect, is expected back from Tommy John surgery in July or August. Where he slots into the lineup when he returns is something the Yankees will worry about when the time comes. There's no sense planning for it now when he still has so much rehab ahead of him. I suspect the Yankees do not see Judge in center as permanent, however.
This all said, lineups are fluid, and I promise you the lineups I sketched out today will not be the same lineups you see on Opening Day, let alone at the end of next season. Roster moves will happen, players will overperform and underperform, and adjustments will be made. As things stand though, those are the lineups the Yankees could feature with Soto and Verdugo now in pinstripes.
