Juan Soto is much more than his iconic plate approach.
The Soto Shuffle mesmerizes Yankees and opposing fans alike. He crouches deep into his wider-than-average stance after taking a pitch, shifting his weight back and forth before standing back up.
Its allure is only temporary, though, because just under 30 percent of the time the 25-year-old Dominican outfielder gets a hit and his shuffle is no more.
Seven years into his MLB career, Soto's signature move has made its way across North America, paying extended visits to Washington D.C. and San Diego before arriving in New York. And, as one of the most valuable players in the league, the slugger drives a hard bargain.
Here's everything to know about the Padres Soto trade with the Yankees, including how San Diego rebuilt for the postseason after trading the superstar.
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Who did the Padres trade Juan Soto for?
Yankees received
- OF Juan Soto
- OF Trent Grisham
Padres received
- RHP Michael King
- RHP Drew Thorpe
- RHP Jhony Brito
- RHP Randy Vasquez
- C Kyle Higashioka
In early December following last year's season, the Yankees acquired Soto from San Diego in a blockbuster seven-player trade. The bidding war over the star was tense, featuring the Mets, Dodgers, Giants, Blue Jays and Phillies among others. It was the Bronx, though, that welcomed him for the 2024 campaign.
Along with Soto, New York received two-time Gold Glove recipient (2020, 2022) outfielder Trent Grisham. The sixth-year player out of Burleson, Texas, was coming off a 2023 season where he hit just under .200 and scored 67 runs himself, batting in 50 along with 13 homers.
Soto had a much better 2023 season than Grisham with San Diego, finishing with a .275 average, good for 97 runs, 109 RBIs and 35 home runs. Nevertheless, the pair was expensive and cost the Yankees five players in return — four pitchers and a catcher.
"It's very difficult to make a deal where you're trading a player the caliber of Juan Soto," Padres general manager A.J. Preller said. "But if we did that, we wanted to make sure we shored up a bunch of needs. We were able to get some depth with quality."
Of the four arms, righty Michael King was the most valuable at the time. After transitioning into New York's rotation late in the 2023 season, the 29-year-old posted a sub-three ERA in eight starts. One of the other three — Drew Thorpe, Jhony Brito and Randy Vasquez — was expected to fill another spot in the starting rotation.
Catcher Kyle Higashioka, a close friend of King's, would join Luis Campusano behind the plate. In 242 at-bats last season, Higashioka (nicknamed "Higgy") collected 57 hits and 34 RBIs with 10 home runs.
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How did the trade pay off for San Diego and New York?
San Diego
Thorpe, Brito and Vasquez are not on the Padres wild-card roster. Thorpe was part of the Padres-White Sox trade in March that sent ace Dylan Cease to San Diego. Brito and Vasquez remain with the Padres organization but won't be playing in the first round.
Brito went 1-2 this year with a 4.12 ERA through 26 games in relief. He did not have a save, but he pitched 43.2 innings, giving up 49 hits for 23 runs and four homers. He also walked only 10 and struck out 29, forcing a .283 ERA from batters he faced.
As for Vasquez, the righty started 20 games this season and earned a 4-7 record on a 4.87 ERA. In 98 innings, he gave up 119 hits for 56 runs, 13 of them out of the park. Nevertheless, he struck out 62 and walked 29.
The two best acquisitions from the Soto trade for San Diego have undoubtedly been King and Higashioka. Eventually earning the primary spot in the Padres starting rotation, King has become a force to be reckoned with in the National League.
With a 13-9 record in 30 starts, King has the fourth-lowest ERA in the NL (2.95) through 173.2 innings pitched, including 201 Ks. Oftentimes, he lines up across from Higashioka, and the two make a formidable duo. The catcher has 17 home runs — many into left field which Padres fans have aptly named "the Higgybank" — 45 RBIs and 54 hits while maintaining a .220 average.
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New York
Adding Soto to a roster already featuring slugger Aaron Judge and Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole, the bar was high for Soto when he arrived in the Bronx. Not only did he rise above it, but he pushed it through the roof.
Judge and Soto are undoubtedly the scariest two-three punch in baseball. Both are top 10 in runs, hits, RBIs, OBP, slugging and OPS. Soto has 41 homers to his name in 2024, along with 109 runs batted in, 128 runs, 166 hits, 129 walks and a .288 average.
Unfortunately, Grisham didn't pay off as much. He only collected nine home runs and 31 RBIs on 34 hits, maintaining a .190 average — similar to what he ended up with last season.
MORE: Yankees, Padres pull off win-win deal as slugger moves to the Bronx
Juan Soto contract details
Soto's one-year deal with the Yankees is worth $31 million, all guaranteed, per Spotrac.
Soto will be a free agent in 2025 and is expected to be one of the most sought-after players when the time comes if he chooses to leave New York.
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Juan Soto transaction and career history
2015: Soto signs with Washington Nationals as international free agent for $1.5 million signing bonus.
2016: Professional debut with Gulf Coast League Nationals in rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Promoted to Auburn Doubledays of Class A-Short Season New York-Penn League.
2017: Promoted to Hagerstown Suns of Class A South Atlantic League. Did two rehab stints with Gulf Coast Nationals.
2018: Started season with Hagerstown Suns. Promoted to Potomac Nationals in Class A-Advanced Carolina League. Promoted to Harrisburg Senators in Class AA Eastern League. Called up by Washington Nationals.
2019: Soto wins first World Series in Washington history.
2020: Soto becomes MLB batting champion.
2021: Soto is named an MLB All-Star, National League MVP runner-up.
2022: Soto signs $17.1 million contract with Nationals, reportedly rejecting 15-year $440 million extension. Soto wins Home Run Derby.
2022: Nationals trade Soto and Josh Bell to the San Diego Padres. Washington receives CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, Robert Hassell, James Wood, Jarlín Susana and Luke Voit.
2023: Soto signs one-year, $23 million contract with Padres.
2023: San Diego trades Soto and Trent Grisham to the Yankees in exchange for King, Thorpe, Brito, Vasquez and Higashioka. Soto signs one-year, $31 million deal with New York.
