Buckle up everybody, the MLB offseason has begun and things are going to get intense around here. The Yankees and Mets have been active so far, but starting Monday they’ll be competing for the same player. We’ll get to that shortly but first let’s recap what they have done so far. We’ll kick it off with my Yanks who made a big splash this past week.

Yankees

Get used to the image above being a regular sight in the Bronx this year. Just need to change the uniform color and we’re set. What was a dream is now reality, Juan Soto is New York Yankee. The 25 year old outfielder was acquired in a blockbuster buster trade Wednesday night trade with the Padres. The trade was truly facilitated by the Padres financial issues and their need to reset payroll, giving the Yankees a chance to pounce. The trade itself is a doozy, with a lot of moving parts to it, let’s take a look at them here.

You’ll notice a lot of familiar faces on the left side heading for California. The Padres receive four pitchers from the Bombers, an area of extreme need for San Diego. Righty Michael King is the center piece of this package, as the deal wouldn’t have been completed without him. The Friars view King as an emerging rotation star and plan to use him in that role along side San Diego native Joe Musgrove. Fellow starters Jhony Brito and Randy Vasquez also seem to be primed for rotation spots next year, after decent cameos in the Bronx last season.

Kyle Higashioka will platoon the catchers spot for San Diego, in a ballpark that could be friendly to his righty pull power. The final piece is prospect Drew Thorpe, who was one of the Yankees top pitching prospects. They’ll continue to grow him on the farm next year, with plans for him to potentially join the rotation soon. All in all this was good return for the Padres. They were in a difficult position with very little leverage and extracted good value in the deal. King and Thorpe are headliners here, but I’d keep an eye on Vasquez to blossom in a more regular role with the Padres.

From a Yankee perspective the deal is obviously all about Soto. By making this move the Yankees dramatically improve an offense that was utterly dreadful last year. Soto has long been one of the games most talented all around hitters. After an up and down 2022 with the Nats and Padres, he came back in a big way last year with 35 homers and 109 RBI’s.

Beyond the counting stats, his more advanced stats have been among the best as well. His career on-base percentage of .421 speaks to his terrific eye at the plate, while his career on-base plus slugging of .946 factors in his on-base and extra base hits. He’s also been one of the best postseason performers during his time in the league. Soto has posted seven home runs and 21 RBI’s in 29 career postseason games. His stroke is built for the ballpark and his power numbers should only go up in the Bronx. All this is a long version of saying he’s a perfect fit for this team.

Soto wasn’t the only piece the Yankees will receive though, as fellow outfielder Trent Grisham joins him in the deal. The 27 year old is now on his third team after stints in Milwaukee and San Diego, and he brings some interesting tools to the Bronx. While not known for his batting average, Grisham provides pop from the left side when he gets a hold of one. He particularly seemed to enjoy the bright lights of the 2022 playoffs, dominating the Mets and Dodgers during San Diego’s run to the NLCS.

Aside from what he could bring to the table offensively, the best part of Grisham’s game is his glove. He has long been one of the games best defensive outfielders, routinely making highlight reel plays. He can play all three outfield positions so this will make him a valuable depth piece for occasional starts and late inning cameos.

Overall Grisham should prove to be a solid piece to add to this roster. The key for the Yankees though is to not over expose him. He shouldn’t feature a lot, as he doesn’t hit consistently well enough to help this lineup. 1-9 the Bombers are already plagued by hitters with low batting averages and OBP’s. Grisham should only see the field in occasional starts to rest teammates, and in the late innings of to help defend leads. Anything beyond that will make him problematic.

The Yankees made one other acquisition this past week, a move no one really saw coming. After rumors of a trade with the Red Sox circulated for weeks, a deal was finally completed. The Yankees sent three pitchers to Beantown for outfielder Alex Verdugo. None of the arms are headliner makers, as Yankee fans will likely only recognize reliever Greg Weissert’s name. With nothing of consequence heading to the other side of the rivalry, let’s talk about what Verdugo will bring to the Bronx.

The Yankees will be the lefties third team in his young career. After briefly featuring for the Dodgers, he was famously part of the trade that sent Mookie Betts to LA in 2020. While he had some good moments for the Sox, he never quite blossomed into the player they hoped he could be. After some run ins with manager Alex Cora this past season, he had worn out his welcome in Boston. Verdugo’s been described as having an “edge” to him, which isn’t always a bad thing, but it does make Yankee fans understandably worried after the Donaldson experience.

With a lifetime batting average of .281 and a slugging percentage of .428, he should help boost this lineup. He had 55 extra base hits last year, a number that should jump in Yankee stadium as he has good lefty power. Verdugo is also an above average defender who can play both left and right field, again giving the Yankees some flexibility defensively this year.

With Jasson Dominguez out until July, a starting caliber body was needed to help get the team through the first half. Clearly the Yankees didn’t love the depth outfield options that were out there on the free agent market, so they pulled the trigger on this move. It was an odd move to analyze when first announced, but it makes much more sense now with Soto in the fold. While predictions can be dangerous, I’d expect Verdugo to hit 20+ homers and a lot of extra base hits in this uniform if all goes right.

With all these moves completed let’s take a look at how the Yankees could lineup next year. These are just my picks and they only exist in a perfect world of no injuries…and lord knows the Yankees don’t exist in such a world. But this is undoubtedly a much deeper and improved lineup than it has been in years. While there could be more tweaks to the roster coming, this is a much more balanced team that will improve further when Dominguez returns. They still lack a true leadoff hitter which could be problematic. Here’s to hoping this group fits together and can stay on the field because I think they could produce some great results.

Mets

While the Yankees have made a splash with big names, the Mets have been doing work of their own. The roster is in need of help in a few areas, and they have started by addressing those. The early theme is pitching, pitching, and more pitching.

The headliner of the Mets haul so far is former Yankee righty Luis Severino. The 29 year old followed new manager Carlos Mendoza across town, inking a 1-year $13 million deal. “Sevy’s” ability to rob teams of money remains unmatched and the Mets are hoping they aren’t his next victim. He’s coming off another frustrating season, with a 4-8 record and 6.65 ERA.

The frustration for Severino runs much deeper than his performance as it’s never been a question of ability for him. What plagues him is availability, or a lack there of. After making 63 starts from 2017-18 (his two best seasons), Severino has made just 40 starts since the start of 2019. Constant stops and starts have made it impossible for him to gain any consistency putting the righties career on life support. If he can stay healthy I could see the Mets getting a lot out of him, and boy does this rotation need it.

While the Mets took a flyer on Severino to help the rotation, they took another to address the bullpen. Jorge Lopez signed a one year two million dollar deal to join the pen in Flushing, a move that may have some upside. Lopez mostly struggled in his career before finding success in the 2022 season with Baltimore. He posted a 1.68 ERA and 19 saves for the O’s, making him a sought after closer. Following that run he was traded to the Twins at the deadline where he mostly struggled.

Following a poor start to the 23’ campaign in Minnesota, Lopez was traded to the Marlins where things didn’t get better. After struggling in Miami, he wound up back with the Orioles where he tried to get his game right. Lopez now arrives in New York looking to help lengthen a bullpen that needs improved arms. He’s a low risk option that could pay big dividends if he can recapture his 2022 form, something that isn’t out of the question given how cyclical relief work has become.

Aside from adding the two aforementioned pitchers, the Mets brought in veteran infielder Joey Wendle to add to the bench. Wendle, best known for his time in Tampa Bay, is a decent role player to add to the mix for this team. He can play several positions and has surprising pop from the left side. The utility man could prove useful if he isn’t over exposed.

While not many major moves were to be expected, at least not to this point, it is alarming that the Mets have reportedly made no progress on a Pete Alonso extension. The first baseman is entering the final year of his current contract, and it feels like there is a deal to be made here. As I said in my last baseball story on this site, the Mets MUST get a deal done here. Alonso is their guy and I think ultimately they will lock him down for the future. An extension for their slugger and a few more additions would go a long way towards calming fears about the team’s direction.

The Yamamoto Sweepstakes

With Shohei Othani and Juan Soto off the market, all eyes are on the race to sign Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. We had a detailed breakdown on the righty in my last baseball piece, so we’ll look beyond that for now. The real story here lies in the excitement around the Mets and Yankees going head to head for his signature. While not alone in the pursuit, they are said to be the favorites.

Uncle Stevie and his buddy Hal are reportedly pulling out all the stops with their planned presentations and financial allocation for him. The Yankees will lead the meetings off on Monday and the Mets will make their pitch later in the week. The general sense is that the saga should conclude by weeks end, so keep an eye this story, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride!

Around the Show

Backup A LOT of brinks trucks: After over a year of consternation and some inaccurate reporting, Shohei Othani finally has a new home. I have good news and great news for him. The good news is he probably won’t have to sell his house as his new team, the Dodgers, are awfully close to Orange County. The great news is he could buy all of Hollywood if he feels like it, after signing a staggering 10 year $700 million deal.

The biggest name in the game has traded Angels red for Dodger blue. I certainly don’t begrudge Othani for getting this deal but it’s frankly hard to fathom the contract. The money is truly centered around the notion of Othani pitching and hitting at the same time. Something he cannot do this year and may not be able to do a lot of going forward. Giving a 30 year old this deal, especially with its back loaded nature, could lead to some major financial issues for LA later on. They’ll gladly worry about that later though if he can help Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman lead this team to a title. One thing is for sure, Shohei will be pure box office at Chavez Ravine.

O’s add Kimbrel: The Orioles will be without their star closer Felix Bautista this year, so to fill the void they added future Hall of Famer Craig Kimbrel. The one-time World Series champion is coming off an up and down year with the Phillies in 23’. One that ended in disappointment following Kimbrel blowing two games in the NLCS. While the O’s could probably do worse for a stop gap closer, I worry about how much he has left in the tank.

Snakes boost Rotation: The defending NL champs added a big piece this past week, with the signing of veteran lefty Eduardo Rodriguez. The former Red Sox and Tigers starter is coming off of a strong year in 2023, and should play a big part in the D-Backs continuing heir success. E-Rod should complement a solid rotation that already features ace Zack Gallen, Merrill Kelly and playoff hero Brandon Pfaadt.

A Fresh Start in Boston: We talked about several players in need of a fresh start earlier in this piece, and we have another here. Outfielder Tyler O’Neill looked like an emerging star just a short time ago, but since then several injuries have derailed his career. In need a clean slate elsewhere, the Cardinals sent him and his shredded arms to the Red Sox for two pitchers. O’Neill will take Alex Verdugo’s place and could produce well in Beantown if healthy. But that remains a BIG if.

Keep it locked here for continuing MLB offseason content as we’ll react to all the big moves. We’ll also have some NFL thoughts coming, along with another Rangers and NHL round up. Share your thoughts with me in the comments below and on Twitter @YNWA9623. Subscribe to the site by hitting the follow button in the bottom right corner of your screen and entering your email address. Stay tuned everyone!