The New York Yankees waited for a blockbuster trade between them and the San Diego Padres to materialize for a long time. There was a lot of confusion if they would be able to sign Juan Soto anyway. However, they did eventually sign the 25-year-old superstar. But as expected, it was not a cheap deal. Moreover, the Bronx Bombers had to give away a lot of assets to seal the deal. But some fans were skeptical about whether the NY side would actually be able to go ahead with it.
Anyway, they did, and it is a great prospect for the franchise’s future. But among the players whom the Bronx had to let go was Michael King. Moreover, it was a bizarre situation when King found out that he’d have to move to San Diego. According to announcer Karl Ravech of ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball,” the news of the blockbuster trade interrupted Michael King’s date night with his fiancee Shiela Hill.
How Three Phone Calls Ruined Michael King’s Date Night?
The former Yankees reliever and Hill are set to marry on December 16. Michael King got three important phone calls when he was with his fiancee in the Rockettes. The general managers of the Yankees and the Padres called him. After Brian Cashman and AJ Preller talked to King, Aaron Boone called him too. On Thursday, Ravech revealed King and his fiancee had plans for Wednesday night that they would spend in the Rockettes. Moreover, Ravech said King doesn’t have MLB TV. Hence, he had to call his agent and watch MLB TV via his agent’s phone. But King didn’t just sit and watch.
Ravech said that he talked to MK’s dad that same morning, and it was clear that the manager’s call left an incredible impression. Karl Ravech believes that it is a great compliment to be the centerpiece of a trade for a future Hall Of Famer. Moreover, Ravech would like to imagine that the Yankees threw some other names in an attempt to keep Michael King. He’s a New York native and a Rochester. Generally, starting across nine late seasons, King has been successful in posting a 2.23 ERA and 51 strikeouts in about 40 1/3 innings. MK joined the NY side in 2017 from the Miami Marlins.
Yankees And Padres Were The Ideal Teams To Have A Trade Deal This Offseason
Anyway, the Padres and the NY side were perfect for each other this offseason. The SD Padres needed to let Juan Soto go because they had to slash the payroll. On top of that, the San Diego franchise needed pitchers to bolster their bullpen. Moreover, the Yankees had plenty of them. Hence, they were a perfect fit for trade. The San Diego Padres traded Juan Soto and Trent Grisham to the Bronx Bombers. On the other hand, the NY side traded Michael King, Drew Thorpe, and some more relievers and catchers.
Clearly, this move shows how desperate the 27-time champions are to make significant changes this offseason. After all, giving up on valuable assets is not an easy decision to make. But that’s what the Yankees needed to do. They had a terrible season this year, and their offense really let them down. Hence, the need for Juan Soto was imminent. And, of course, the blockbuster trade to get Soto really made the fans happy.
