Yankees complete Soriano deal and insert him right into lineup

Chicago Cubs' Alfonso Soriano hits an RBI single off a pitch from New York Mets starting pitcher Matt Harvey, scoring Starlin Castro, during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, May 17 2013, in Chicago. Soriano was safe at second on a throwing error by Ruben Tejada scoring Anthony Rizzo. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Charles Rex Arbogast/AP

Despite modest numbers in Chicago, Alfonso Soriano gives the Yankees a much needed bat.

The Yankees and Cubs finished the deal that brings back Alfonso Soriano to the Yankees more than nine years after he was traded away in the Alex Rodriguez blockbuster.

“He’s been swinging the bat great, and he provides punch to our lineup,” Joe Girardi said. “I’m going to hit him fourth today and play him in left. It’s a good addition.”

“(New York) is something he’s very familiar with and there are still people here that he has played with and he will be comfortable with and I think that’s important,” Girardi said. “Sometimes it takes player some time to adjust to playing here but for him it shouldn’t.

RELATED: YANKS ON VERGE OF BRINGING SORI BACK TO BRONX

Alfonso Soriano is back in a Yankee uniform for the first time since being traded for A-Rod.

Peter Botte/New York Daily News

Alfonso Soriano is back in a Yankee uniform for the first time since being traded for A-Rod.

“I hope he makes us better, a lot better,” the Yankee skipper added. “You’re able to split up your lefties a little bit too, putting him in the middle. Hopefully it helps our lineup.”

The Yanks will send the Cubs Single-A Tampa starter Corey Black, he was among the prospects Chicago could choose from in the trade, which had to be approved by MLB because of the amount of money changing hands.

Soriano, who has hit eight of his 17 homers this season in July, should provide a power upgrade from the right side of the plate for an injury-ravaged Yankees lineup in desperate need of such production.

Soriano, 37 played for the Yankees from 1999-2003 before he was the primary chip in the deal that landed Rodriguez, who hasn’t played this season due to hip surgery while also awaiting a likely lengthy suspension stemming from MLB’s ongoing investigation into the Biogenesis scandal.


Daily News – Sports

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