I don't think it's really bad for NY. Vasquez and Brito probably suck and Higashioka is a backup C in his last year of team control. Spare parts.
It's two years of King + Thorpe for Soto.
Just assuming they start giving him more and more days at DH with his size and injury history. He's clearly a better OF than Soto, but Soto is still healthy enough to play there every day and those days might be over for Judge.
They should probably just consider DFA'ing Stanton and be done with it. Use the DH spot to give Soto and Judge a couple days off a week. Unless Judge or Soto want to learn 1B.
Probably counting on Stanton spending a lot of time on the IL. Their most common configuration will probably Soto in LF, Grisham in CF, Verdugo in RF, Judge DH.
Decent chance Thorpe is in their rotation for a good part of the year too. Two rotation spots filled for a total of like 3M is exactly what they needed
What would the pivot even be if Atkins misses on Soto and Ohtani? Snell or Glasnow? Fans won't be happy with Lourdes Gurriel and a 140M deal for Matt Chapman.
I kind of like it for them. Yankees were running a parade of absolute dog s*** out there in the OF last year. An everyday 2-WAR RF raises the floor for them a fait bit. They'll make the big splash in LF if they can.
Seems to make sense for both teams. Yankees get a much-needed everyday RF who will love the short porch, Red Sox open up a spot to add an actual impact OF to join the mix with Duran, Yoshida, Rafaela, and Abreu
I'd be excited as f*** to have him, regardless of the terms. He's the most exciting and maybe the best player in almost 100 years, and him playing for the Jays would be amazing. I don't care whether it's 45M or 50M.
But they probably don't actually know to what extent his comments do or don't bother Ohtani. Ohtani might not even know. All I'm saying is that decisions are messy, and a seemingly innocuous comment, or just the way the way someone looks or dresses can tilt a decision one way or another.
If Ohtani asked that things be kept quiet, I don't think its outrageous to suggest that Roberts' candid response might have left a bad taste in his mouth. That could matter if he's torn on what offer to accept. Or it might be a complete nonfactor.
Either him or Soto would have to come with an extension. No way the team dumps the prospect capital it would take for both only have both leave in the offseason.
People don't always understand why they make the decisions they make. If he's on the fence about where to go, a personal annoyance or perceived act of disrespect could absolutely nudge him one way or the other.
I wonder if we'd be after Musgrove. Especially if Manoah is going the other way. 4/80 left on his deal.
He's local to SD though, and probably wouldn't be thrilled with a trade.