Before the trade was officially announced in the final hours of Wednesday night, baseball fans had to wait hours to find out if the Juan Soto trade between the Yankees and Padres would go through.

Throughout the day, rumors circulated that although the players in the trade had reached an agreement, one or both parties had rejected the offer. We now know what was preventing it from moving forward.

The medicals of at least one player who was moving from the Yankees to the Padres, according to SNY’s Andy Martino, caused the trade to take longer to close. Martino continues, “The Yankees were a little uneasy about the snag, but San Diego was finally at ease with the medicals.”

According to Martino, the player’s medical records showed nothing serious, such as damage to a pitcher’s arm.

Seven players were involved in the transaction between the Padres and Yankees. Soto and outfielder Trent Grisham went to the Yankees, while pitchers Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Jhony Brito, and Randy Vasquez went to New York.

The Padres should naturally conduct due diligence on each player returning in a deal for one of the top players in the league. Shortly after the deal was officially announced, San Diego General Manager A.J. Preller stated that the Yankees were “аggressive” in their pursuit of Soto, but they are pleased with the return, particularly since King will be a regular in the team’s rotation starting in 2024.

The next day, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman commended the decision and the way Soto will change the оffensive for the team the following year.

“It significantly upgrades us without a doubt,” he stated. “And the best part about the ‘crаzy 8s’ is that they have a right-hander and a left-hander, which makes the opposition pitchers’ lineup more difficult to navigate. Even while we are aware that there is still more work to be done, we are particularly enthusiastic about the potential influence and balance that this acquisition can have, as well as about the chance to have him here.”

With Soto, the Yankees will have a single guaranteed season, but at the conclusion of 2024, the young outfielder will become a free agent. It will be fascinating to see if an extension can be agreed upon in New York prior to that occurring.