Soto is not the only left-handed hitting outfielder the Yankees acquired at the Winter Meetings. The Yankees also sent three pitching prospects to the AL East rival Boston Red Sox for Alex Verdugo earlier in the week. There was some thought Verdugo could be flipped to the Padres in a Soto trade, but that did not happen. He remains with the Yankees.

New York Yankees acquire All-Star slugger Juan Soto in trade with San Diego Padres, AP sources say. HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: Ranking and track

The blockbuster swap comes amid a critical offseason for the Yankees, who are trying to rebound from what general manager Brian Cashman labeled “a disaster” of a season, and the Padres, who are downsizing their still-robust payroll following their own tumultuous summer and the death of owner Peter Seidler.

Days of Yankees and Padres haggling over what Juan Soto ’s return should be finally ended early Wednesday afternoon. As the Rule 5 Draft was playing out and these mostly uneventful Winter Meetings were coming to an end,