Bruce Levine, Chicago baseball beat reporter 12y

Soriano: Trade to L.A. was 'very close'

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs tried to accommodate outfielder Alfonso Soriano by trading him to the Los Angeles Dodgers and at the same time get back prospects for the future.

“The Cubs talked to my agent who was in the middle of it and kept me informed,” said Soriano. “He told me last night that it was very close to getting done with L.A., but it did not happen.”


Soriano, who has had a solid season as the team’s home run (19) and RBI (61) leader, was open to a trade as long as the city and team appealed to him.

“I didn’t turn down any team, but I told my agent to tell the Cubs I would only go to one West Coast team, and that was the Dodgers,” Soriano told ESPNChicago.com. “They never came to us with anything else.”

Although rumors surfaced at the deadline that Detroit was kicking the tires on a deal for the 36-year-old outfielder, nothing transpired. Soriano, who has homes in Florida and the Dominican Republic, eliminated a number of teams he would go to due to the proximity of those cities to the East Coast.

“When I was a free agent, six years ago, I did not want to go West because of the distance from my family , but I did say yes to the Dodgers if that got done,” he said.

Although he has veto power over any trade, Soriano wanted to help the Cubs in 2013. At the same time, he was hoping for a situation that would give him a chance to win.

“I was hoping I could help the team get something for me for the future,” he said. “I did not want to stand in the way of their plan for the future.”

Soriano still could be moved, it’s worth pointing out. He is still owed $44 million over the season and the two following years. Because of that hefty number, he will very likely clear waivers and be eligible to be included in a waiver trade over the next month.

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