It was another low scoring affair today in Arlington as the New York Yankees defeated the Texas Rangers 2-0. Both the Yankees and Rangers got superb starts from Hiroki Kuroda and Derek Holland, but the Yankees offense came through just enough to get Kuroda the win and split the series with the Rangers.

Ichiro Suzuki led off the game with a single in the first inning, but that was followed by Brent Lillibridge grounding out to Adrian Beltre at third, leading to the force out at second base. Robinson Cano struck out out, and a Vernon Wells pop-up ended the top of the first.

Elvis Andrus singled off Kuroda in the bottom half of the first, but Kuroda got Nelson Cruz to ground into a double play to end the inning. Both Kuroda and Holland got back on track in the second inning, with neither allowing anyone on.

The new "Melk Man"Melky Mesa led off the third inning with a single to right. Mesa later got picked off though, and the inning ended on an Austin Romine line out to centerfield and an Ichiro groundout.

The Rangers offense came alive in the bottom of the third, but Kuroda kept his composure and got out of the minor jam. Jurickson Profar led off the bottom half with a single, followed by a David Murphy groundout. Leonys Martin then hit a liner to Mesa to put him on first and move Murphy to second. Kuroda wouldn't surrender another hit, striking out Ian Kinsler and getting the struggling Andrus to ground out as well.

Kuroda and Holland continued to coast through the game until Holland ran into some trouble in the sixth inning when Romine led off the inning with a double to center. Joe Girardi proceeded to call for what's been driving Yankees fans mad all season--another sacrifice bunt with Ichiro. Lillibridge was allowed to swing away following the bunt, however, and took advantage, knocking in Romine with a double of his own. The one run would be all the Yankees would get in the inning though.

The Yankees added an insurance run in the eighth after Cano doubled to right with one out. Wells followed that up with a single, moving Cano to third. Eduardo Nunez then grounded out to second base, but still pushed across Cano to put another run on the board for the Yankees. Kuroda was done after seven strong innings of work, and David Robertson and Mariano Rivera kept the Rangers offense silent to close the game out for the Yankees.

The Yankees return to home to begin a weekend series with the Tampa Bay Rays this weekend. First pitch is at 7:05 EST with CC Sabathia on the hill looking to rebound after his last outing in which he got rocked by the Boston Red Sox. Chris Archer will be pitching for the Rays.

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• Pinstripe Alley Podcast Episode 16: The 2013 Yankees: Probably Sucking
• Are Travis Hafner's days in the Bronx numbered?
• A-Rod: "Enough doctors. Let's play."
• Yankees Trade Chip: Adam Warren
• Baby Bomber Recap 7/24/13: Mason Williams extends hit streak to fourteen games

The Alex Rodriguez drama continues, as the third baseman wouldn't say whether he trusted his team's opinion in an interview with New York sports radio station WFAN.

The situation seems to be this: Rodriguez wants to play, has said he wants to play, has gotten doctors to say he's ready to play, and most recently said he should be in the lineup for the team Friday night. Meanwhile, the Yankees seem to have a vested interest in him not playing. They want him to continue rehabbing until Aug. 1, are planning on fining him for finding a doctor they didn't approve, and, of course, general manager Brian Cashman said a not-very-nice thing to Rodriguez earlier in the year when the third baseman said he was good to go.

When asked, Rodriguez sounded very disappointed with the team:

Rodriguez chatted with WFAN host Mike Francesa on Thursday evening, and when he was asked if he trusts the Yankees, he paused before saying, "I'd rather not get into that."

"I told (Brian) Cashman and Randy (Levine) that I'm ready to play, that I want to play tomorrow," A-Rod told Francesa. "I made it very clear ... Obviously I'm very, very disappointed because I thought tomorrow night would be the perfect night to come back and get in the lineup."

Saying "I'd rather not get into that" isn't a very tough statement to read through: No, Alex Rodriguez does not trust the Yankees right now.

With Rodriguez and Kevin Youkilis hurt, the team has played such luminaries as David Adams (batting average: .190), Luis Cruz (batting average: .182), Alberto Gonzalez (batting average: .176) and now, Brent Lillibridge (batting average: .176) at third base. Rodriguez only hit .250 in his minor league rehab assignment, but anything would be an improvement, and he seems to earnestly want to play, although the specter of the steroids issue and the Yankees' desire not to pay his contract keep them from wanting him in the lineup.

More from SB Nation:

• The Dayton Moore All-Stars

• Braves will survive Hudson's tough break

• Cashman responds to A-Rod's second opinion

• Why do we obsess over the trade deadline?

• Brisbee: On the roid rage of fans and columnists ...

The move that has been in motion for days is now nearly complete as the Cubs are set to send Alfonso Soriano to the Yankees. Soriano was originally in tonight's lineup for Chicago before he was a late scratch. Cubs manager Dale Sveum says that the deal is 99% of the way complete. Specifics should be known soon, but to my knowledge, none of the Yankees' affiliates beat writers have tweeted about a player being pulled. We'll have to wait and see.

More to come.

Soriano to take flight to NY tonight. #Cubs

— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) July 26, 2013

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• Alex Rodriguez vs. the Yankees: Who is lying and why?
• Pinstripe Alley Podcast Episode 16: The 2013 Yankees: Probably Sucking
• Looking back at the Alex Rodriguez/Alfonso Soriano swap
• Are Travis Hafner's days in the Bronx numbered?
• Yankees 2, Rangers 0: Kuroda keeps dealing

Alfonso Soriano appears to finally be on his way out of Chicago after being scratched Thursday night with a trade nearing. Manager Dale Sveum seemed certain the deal will take place between the Cubs and Yankees, telling MLB.com's Carrie Muskat the trade is "99 percent done."

With the two sides coming close to finishing a deal, Cubs president Theo Epstein asked Sveum to remove Soriano from Thursday's lineup. This could conclude a tumultuous time for a player who recently had been painted as selfish, something Sveum denied vehemently when he spoke to CSN's Patrick Mooney:

"He's 100 percent completely different than I thought. There hasn't been a day of disappointment in his attitude/work ethic."

If finalized, the trade would mark a return to New York for the 37-year-old, who began his major league career with the Yankees in 1999. He spent five seasons in the Bronx, where he was an All-Star in 2002 and 2003, also winning two World Series titles.

ESPN's Buster Olney reports that the Cubs would likely receive a "lower tier pitching prospect", with the deal pending Soriano's waiver.

Once completed, the Soriano deal would be the second high-profile trade by the Cubs this week. On Monday, Chicago shipped starting pitcher Matt Garza to the Rangers for three minor league players and either one or two players to be named later.

Soriano is hitting .254/.287/.467 this season. The outfielder would add some much-needed power to a Yankees lineup that has been without Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson for nearly the entire season. New York is hoping to have Jeter back soon, following his latest stint on the 15-day DL.

More from SB Nation:

• The Dayton Moore All-Stars

• Braves will survive Hudson's tough break

• Cashman responds to A-Rod's second opinion

• Why do we obsess over the trade deadline?

• Brisbee: On the roid rage of fans and columnists ...

The Los Angeles Dodgers have designated left-hander Ted Lilly for assignment in order to make room for Elian Herrera, according to an announcement from the team. The team will now have ten days to trade, release, waive or outright the 37-year old.

Lilly, who has only made five starts on the season due to injury, was let go after a disagreement with the Dodgers about his future, according to ESPNLosAngeles.com's Mark Saxon.

The Dodgers DFA'd Ted Lilly after a disagreement about whether he would go to the minors to adjust to relief work

— Mark Saxon (@markasaxon) July 25, 2013

With the Dodgers possessing a full starting rotation after the acquisition of Ricky Nolasco, Lilly's role with the team has been in doubt. He was expected to join the Dodgers' bullpen, but apparently did not want to go to the minor leagues to adjust to the change. He now is available to any team that is looking for a left-handed arm and willing to pick up the roughly $5 million remaining on his expiring contract.

While a team may take a chance on Lilly by claiming him off waivers, a trade with the Dodgers taking on some of his salary is the most likely scenario. Any trade would have to happen before next Wednesday, which is the non-waiver trade deadline.

In five starts on the season, Lilly is 0-2 with a 5.09 ERA, 7.0 K/9, and 3.9 BB/9. In fifteen major league seasons with the Expos (1999), Yankees (2000-2002), Athletics (2002-2003), Blue Jays (2004-2006), Cubs (2007-2010) and Dodgers (2010-2013), Lilly has posted a 130-113 record with a 4.14 ERA, 7.6 K/9, and 3.0 BB/9. He is in the final year of the 3-year, $33 million extension he signed with the Dodgers before the 2011 season, and will hit the open market this winter.

The trade is complete. Alfonso Soriano is in New York and playing tonight for the Yankees, and High-A Tampa pitcher Corey Black is moving to the Cubs organization. The Cubs will pay $17.7 million of Soriano's $24.5 million left for this year and next, with the Yankees on the hook for just $7.1 million. Derek Albin calculated a mere $4 million cap hit for next year, which is really not much; think of it as a small deal one-year deal the Yankees might have given to a veteran in the off-season.

More on Black:

Corey Black is prospect going for Soriano. #Cubs see as power rlvr in future, up to 97 mph, good curve. #Yankees

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) July 26, 2013

Black had a 9.6 K/9 and 4.9 BB/9 in 82 2/3 innings (19 starts) with Tampa this year, pitching to a 4.25 ERA and 3.27 FIP. He was a fourth round pick by the Yankees in last year's draft, and his best pitch is his blazing fastball, which Sherman mentions in the above tweet.

Black does have promise, but many consider him a likely reliever in the future given his small size and control problems. Even people who ranked him among the Yankees' top 20 prospects have some doubt about him, like Minor League Ball's John Sickels:

12) Corey Black, RHP, Grade B-: 4.29 ERA with 86/43 K/BB in 78 innings for Tampa, just one homer allowed. Throws very hard, as high as 100 MPH at his best, but command is problematic and he is more likely a reliever in the long run.

There's likely something there in Black's fastball, but as several have noted on Twitter, the Yankees are dealing from a position of strength. They might struggle with position players and starting pitchers, but their system has proven to be factory of successful relief pitchers. Although it's tough to see Black's fastball leave the system, it would be ridiculous to not attempt any improvement on a team just a few games back of a playoff spot.

If Black turns into a Ron Guidry-type success story, then good for him. For now though, the Yankees can afford to deal away a pitcher who hasn't even cracked Double-A. Remember Arodys Vizcaino? He was an even more highly-touted young arm who the Yankees sent away in the Javier Vazquez deal. The Braves eventually dealt him to the Cubs, and he's had to undergo both season-ending Tommy John surgery and arthroscopic elbow surgery in consecutive years.

These young arms are a crapshoot, and if giving away just one helps this team contend for the playoffs, then it's worth it.

Editor's Note: Read my interview with Corey Black from two weeks ago! - Jason

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• Alex Rodriguez vs. the Yankees: Who is lying and why?
• Yankees GIFs of the Week: Stewart pumped, Nunez stumbles, and Gardner gets a gift
• Yankees 2, Rangers 0: Kuroda keeps dealing
• Pinstripe Alley Podcast Episode 16: The 2013 Yankees: Probably Sucking
• Baby Bomber Recap 7/24/13: RailRiders pitchers combine for gem in 20-inning win

The New York Yankees have acquired outfielder Alfonso Soriano from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for minor-league right hander Corey Black, in a a deal that has officially been approved by the commissioner's office, according to Jim Bowden of ESPN.com. Soriano is on his way to New York to join his new team, but a source confirms that Black has not yet been told that he is involved in the deal. ESPN.com's Buster Olney notes that the Yankees will only pick up $6.8 million of the $24.5 million owed to Soriano over the next two years, including $5 million next season. Chicago will be on the hold for the other $17.7 million on Soriano's contract.

As reported on Thursday, the Yankees were among the teams on the list of acceptable destinations that Soriano gave the Cubs on Wednesday, and the sides have been working hard since Monday to get a deal done. The veteran was scratched from the Cubs' lineup on Thursday night because, as manager Dale Sveum told reporters, the deal was "99 percent done". Now that the commissioner's office has approved the money changing hands in the deal, Soriano will officially join the Yankees.

Soriano, a seven-time All-Star, is hitting .259 with 17 HR and 51 RBI on the year with the Cubs. He will immediately provide the veteran presence and right-handed power bat that the Yankees are looking for in the absence of injured stars Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira. The fifteen-year veteran also drew interest from the Rangers before being shipped back to the Bronx, where he began his major league career. In four years with the Yankees from 1999 to 2003, Soriano hit .284 with 98 HR and 270 RBI before being shipped to the Rangers for Alex Rodriguez in February 2004. In fifteen major league seasons with the Yankees (1999-2003), Rangers (2004-2005), Nationals (2006) and Cubs (2007-2013), he is a career .273 hitter with 389 HR and 1,086 RBI.

Soriano is the latest member of the Cubs to be shipped out of town in July, joining Matt Garza (Rangers), Steve Clevenger (Orioles), Scott Feldman (Orioles), Brent Lillibridge (Yankees) and Scott Hairson (Nationals). The North Siders are expected to continue selling until the trade deadline on Wednesday.

Black is the prospect headed to Chicago in the deal, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post confirmed on Friday. MLBDailyDish's Chris Cotillo reported on Thursday night that Black was on the Cubs' list of potential acquisitions, and the that the Cubs had narrowed their choice down to two finalists-- one unidentified player and one from a group of Black, Joel De La Cruz and Chase Whitley. Josh Norris of the Trentonian was the first to mention Black's potential involvement.

Black, who has spent the season with High-A Tampa, was the Yankees' fourth round pick in the 2012 draft. The 21-year old was ranked by Baseball America as the Yankees' 25th best prospect before the season, and has posted a 3-8 record with a 4.25 ERA, 9.6 K/9, and 4.9 BB/9 in 19 starts on the year. Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues provides a scouting report on the young pitcher, who the Cubs plan to develop into a power reliever.

"Black stands out for two reasons. One, he’s an undersized right-handed pitcher, standing just 5-foot-11 and 175 lbs. Two, he offers premium fastball velocity thanks to electric arm speed. Black regularly runs his fastball into the mid-90s as a starter and hit triple-digits a few times in 2012. The pitch has a little two-seam action in on righties. A decent but still developing changeup is his second offering while the slider and curveball lag as his third and fourth pitches. He’s not a one-pitch guy, but the offspeed stuff definitely needs work."

More from MLB Daily Dish:

• First report: Yankees close to acquiring Alfonso Soriano?
• Robinson Cano likely headed for free agency
• Yankees rumors: New York inquired on Padres' Chase Headley
• A-Rod facing potential lifetime ban?
• Rangers trade for Matt Garza

"Got what you wanted, lost what you had" is one of those frightening equations we all face when making a decision. Like the man who divorced his plain but kind and caring wife to marry the beautiful but cold and callous model, we may one day awake to the painful realization that we have not only made a terrible mistake, but that there is no way to fix it.

This is how it has been with the New York Yankees, who spent the 2012-2013 offseason promoting their desire to get their payroll under $189 million by 2014 so as to receive rebates on revenue-sharing that were originally reported to be worth as much as $50 million.

Hal Steinbrenner, the Yankees' managing general partner, reasoned that the team didn't need to spend as much as it traditionally had to be competitive:

"I'm a finance geek," he said. "I guess I always have been. That's my background. Budgets matter, and balance sheets matter. I just feel that if you do well on the player-development side and you have a good farm system, you don't need a $220 million payroll. You don't. You can field every bit as good a team with young talent."

Big "if" there, Hal: the Yankees do not "do well" on the player-development side, have largely neglected it during the Steinbrenner ownership and have a general manager who, though he sometimes pays lip-service to that side of the operation, has never wholly embraced it. If you don't have ready prospects and if you are not going to spend money on free agents and you lack the spare parts and willing trade partners to accomplish some kind of miraculously reinvigorating swap, you have foreclosed all possibility of improving your team.

The Yankees allowed Russell Martin, Nick Swisher, Eric Chavez, and Raul Ibanez to depart without attempting to replace them. It was only belatedly, as it became clear that injuries would make their planned formula of "veteran stars + cheap scrubs = pennant" into "veteran stars + scrubs (-veteran stars) = extended suckage" that they acquired Kevin Youkilis and Vernon Wells, two veterans so far into their decline phases that they were more like desecrated temples than ballplayers.

The Yankees have remained competitive due to solid pitching, but the offense has been among the worst in the league and home attendance has slipped by approximately 3,400 fans a game ... or about the number of people who on any given day are unsympathetic to folks holding a billion-dollar asset that whinge they're not making enough of a profit and insist on putting a mediocre product on the field.

And hey, the anticipated savings of the austerity program turn out to have been overestimated.

Alfonso Soriano's salad days (Al Bello)

This is the context in which the Yankees have been reunited with an old pal, Alfonso Soriano, who they deaccessioned back in February 2004 in order to get -- you guessed it --- Alex Rodriguez from the Texas Rangers. The rumor at the time was Texas didn't necessarily ask for Soriano, but the Yankees wanted to include him in the deal; although Soriano was coming off two of the best offense seasons a Yankees second baseman had ever had, he was a defensive butcher and just had a difficult postseason in which he often seemed to be swinging with his eyes closed so badly had he lost control of the strike zone (in this he was not unlike Curtis Granderson last fall).

Soriano is a right-handed hitter. Yankees right-handed hitters, principally Vernon Wells, Jayson Nix and Chris Stewart, have combined to hit .221/.283/.311 (or about 31 percent less than the league-average right-hander). Soriano should help with this. Maybe. Sort of. The 37-year-old is hitting .254/.287/.467, which is to say he's getting on base about as often as the right-handers the Yankees have now, but he's hitting with more power. The Yankees, with the second-lowest isolated power on the circuit (.129, ahead of only the Deadball-era Kansas City Royals), can certainly use help with that. Still, the Yankees are a team with an on-base problem as much as a power problem and the former should probably take precedence over the latter, but Soriano only helps half of the problem.

Another note of caution is provided by Soriano's dwelling in the friendly confines of Wrigley Field; he's hit only .242/.273/.400 on the road this year against .267/.303/.541 at home. We can probably dismiss this as small-sample noise -- in seven seasons with the Cubs, Soriano has not received an outsized benefit from his ballpark, averaging .265/.316/.485 at home versus .263/.318/.505 on the road. Given Soriano's age, it is possible his performance at home has disguised some slippage, but if we have learned anything following the Yankees this year, it's that despite seemingly ageless players like Mariano Rivera, late 30s is, as ever, truly old in baseball years.

"You are old," said the youth, "As I mentioned before,/ And have grown most uncommonly fat;/ Yet you turned a back-somersault in at the door—/ Pray, what is the reason of that?" (Lewis Carroll/John Tenniel, Wikimedia Commons)

Another possible downside to a Soriano trade comes on defense. Soriano has improved on defense in recent seasons after years of taking routes reminiscent of the Israelites' 40-year trek through the Sinai. That is far from saying he is now good, though, but Soriano is expected to spend a good deal of time at designated hitter for the Yankees so this issue should largely be mitigated. It is worth noting that as bad as Wells has been on offense as a defrocked center fielder, he has been a solid left fielder and, whenever Soriano straps on a glove, the Yankees may lose in defense what they gain in offense.

This year, American League left fielders have hit .253/.317/.403, while designated hitters have averaged .246/.325/.413. Since 2008, Soriano has hit .252/.306/.472.

The price the Yankees are paying is low. The Cubs will pick up $17.7 million of the $24.5 million owed Soriano through the end of next season. The Yankees will supply minor-league right-hander Corey Black in return. (Update: Jon Heyman initally reported via Twitter that right-handed pitcher Tommy Kahnle and perhaps a third player were on the menu as well, but Joel Sherman reports that Black is the sole prospect in the deal). Black, in the starting rotation at High-A Tampa, is 21 and was the organization's fourth-round pick in 2012. He throws hard, touching 100 mph with his fastball last year, but control is an issue for him; in 82.2 innings so far this year, he's walked 45 batters while striking out 88. Baseball America ranked him as the organization's 25th-best prospect. CBS' Danny Knobler quotes a non-Yankees scout as calling Black a future middle reliever.

Wikimedia Commons

The bottom line is that Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer finally rid themselves of an embarrassing contract held over from the failed Jim Hendry administration (Hendry is now a special assistant to Brian Cashman; make of that what you will) and will get a live arm in return. The Yankees get an injection of badly-needed power and stand little chance of having made another Ken Phelps-Jay Buhner trade. Given how bad their offense has been (Eduardo Nunez is now a No. 5 hitter? Really?), they had to try something, though this move alone has exactly zero chance of solving their problems or even ameliorating them to a significant degree. You could argue that, given the current trajectory of their season that if this was the best the Yankees could do, maybe they shouldn't bother doing it.

A team 2.5 games out of the second wild-card playoff spot, even a weak one, has something worth pursuing, but there's a limit to (a) how many resources it should put towards that goal and (b) how many opportunities it might forego to improve itself in that pursuit. In other words, the Yankees might have more to gain by selling than adding at this point, especially if selling might bring a hitter of any age who has more of an ability to reach base than Soriano does. After all, he may homer with more regularity than the Yankees have experienced to this point, but he can't drive in runners that aren't there.

More from SB Nation:

• The Dayton Moore All-Stars

• Braves will survive Hudson's tough break

• Cashman responds to A-Rod's second opinion

• Why do we obsess over the trade deadline?

• Brisbee: On the roid rage of fans and columnists ...

Whether or not acquiring Alfonso Soriano is too little too late, the Yankees made the move without sacrificing anything of significant value. As we well know by now, the Yankees offense desperately could use some help, band-aid or not. Hence the move for Soriano. As rumors of the deal swirled, the return package had been unknown. Today, the New York Post's Joel Sherman confirmed that Corey Black, the Yankees' fourth round pick last year, will be heading to the Cubs in exchange for Sori. In all likelihood, many Yankees fans are just hearing of Black's name today. So what kind of prospect is he?

Coming into this season, Baseball America pegged Black as the Yankees' 25th-best prospect, mainly citing his power arm that has touched 100 MPH before. He faired well, splitting time in three leagues after being drafted; rookie ball, the New York Penn League, and the South Atlantic League, posting a 3.08 ERA in 52.2 innings.

This year, Black began the season with High-A Tampa of the Florida State League, and has been very good in 19 starts. While his 4.25 ERA is mediocre, a couple of his peripherals have shined. He's striking out 9.58 batters per nine innings, while only surrendering 0.22 home runs per nine, which is the main reason for his 3.27 FIP. The walks have been the key issue for Black, allowing 45 in 82.2 frames.

The strikeouts and FIP are impressive for the 21-year-old, but we have to be careful "scouting" the stat line. At 5-11, the odds are already against Black remaining as a starter. There simply aren't many starting pitchers at that size who can hold up for a full workload. Plus, at that height, it's difficult to get a good downward plane on the fastball, which could cause him to be susceptible to the long ball down the road (this is more concerning as a starter). While his fastball velocity is special, his secondary stuff leaves a lot to be desired. He throws an "average changeup" and a "fringy early-count curveball", as described within Baseball America's top 30 Yankees' prospects. All this really means is that if Black reaches the majors, he'll likely do it as a reliever riding his power fastball.

All in all, Black is a nice prospect, but certainly not a devastating loss to the system. An arm like his is impressive, so it's understandable why any team would be intrigued by him. With Chicago eating so much of Soriano's salary, the Yankees had to give up something decent, but nothing otherworldly. And that's exactly what Black is: a decent starter prospect, but more likely to wind up as a very good relief prospect.

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• Corey Black going to the Cubs for Alfonso Soriano
• MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees and Cubs agree to Alfonso Soriano trade, MLB approves (maybe)
• Yankees GIFs of the Week: Stewart pumped, Nunez stumbles, and Gardner gets a gift
• Chris Stewart: Is it time we give him credit for his defense?
• Are Travis Hafner's days in the Bronx numbered?

Is there really such a thing as "Yankee-style baseball"? If there is, then whatever it is now is a far cry from whatever it used to be. Like it or not, these 2013 Yankees definitely have their own style - one that has not been seen in these parts since the Woodrow Wilson administration - and I guess it isn't always ineffective, maybe? -shrugs-

At no time during this season was the new Yankee style more evident than during the past four games in Arlington - you could call that series the Yankiest series that ever Yanked.

What made the last four-game set the quintessential series of the 2013 Yankees? Here are ten reasons:

1. They achieved a respectable result, despite being outscored overall.

This series didn't exactly do wonders for their season run differential - they came in at -2 and left at -4. They scored eight runs total and gave up ten. Still, they walked away with a series split against a superior team on the road, and that's nothing to sneeze at.

2. Their offense.

According to my Tang-dynasty rhinoceros-horn abacus, eight runs in four games comes out to an average of two runs per game. Believe it or not, the shutout handed to them by Yu Darvish on Monday was the first time the Yankees had failed to score a run in their last 20 games (Honestly, I looked it up myself, and I still don't believe it).

Of course, it's not easy for an offense to score runs when they've all become card-carrying members of the ancient, mystical society of...

3. No Homers

"But you let in Homer Glumpich!"Seriously, though, has any visiting team ever played four games in Arlington and failed to hit a single home run before the 2013 Yankees came to town?

Relevant:

4. Their starting pitching.

At this point it would be fair to describe the Yankees starting staff as a bunch of mediocre guys who pitch just well enough to keep their pop-gun offense in the game...and Hiroki Kuroda. Both Ivan Nova (7 IP, 3 ER) and Andy Pettitte (6 IP, 2 ER) turned in not-quite-great quality starts, while Phil Hughes (5.2 IP, 3ER) fell short by a single out. Kuroda (7 IP, 0 ER) was the ace, as he has been since April.

5. Their right-handed relief pitching.

Rock-solid, per usual. Mariano Rivera, David Robertson, Joba Chamberlain, Preston Claiborne and Shawn Kelley combined to give up one earned run in 8.1 innings.

6. Left-handed relief pitching.

Boone Logan nearly cost the Yankees the game on Tuesday, surrendering a home run to lefty Mitch Moreland - thus continues the ongoing saga of Yankee lefties who can't get out lefties.

7. They made some ninth-inning magic.

Tuesday's win was the fourth game this season the Yankees won despite trailing in the ninth inning. That's pretty darn impressive, considering they pulled that trick only once last year.

8. At least one player hit the Disabled List.

Luis Cruz, we hardly knew ye.

9. At least one player made his season debut.

Welcome, Melky Mesa! You've got a cool name. Now please get some more hits.

10. The players off the field drew far more media attention than the players on the field.

Yeah...I'm not even getting into this one.

With the Soriano trade completed, and some other players maybe, perhaps set to return, these Yankees might finally resemble the mighty Yankee teams of antiquity. The way this season has gone, however, I wouldn't be surprised if Soriano doesn't hit another home run this season, and the only injured player the team gets back is Jayson Nix. These are your 2013 New York Yankees, people - bunts for some, miniature American flags for others!

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• Alfonso Soriano trade rumors: Cubs zeroing in on Yankees Corey Black
• Corey Black: A nice prospect, but certainly worth Alfonso Soriano
• Alfonso Soriano trade: Should the Yankees try Vernon Wells at first base now?
• Corey Black going to the Cubs for Alfonso Soriano
• MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees and Cubs agree to Alfonso Soriano trade, MLB approves (maybe)

We've been discussing the possible trade of Alfonso Soriano for what seems to be two years now, ever since Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer took over as baseball management for the Cubs.

Or maybe it goes back even farther than that.

Anyway, with all the talk, and all the news, and all the writing I did with an article over 1,600 words long earlier today, I neglected to add a poll to find out how you feel about this deal, which is, at last, final:

The #Yankees have officially announced the acquisition of Alfonso Soriano via press release.

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) July 26, 2013

Joel Sherman says the Yankees aren't wasting any time:

Soriano hitting 4th for #yankees tonite

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) July 26, 2013

He's playing left field, too, not DHing. (Travis Hafner will DH for the Yankees tonight against the Rays.) Anyway, please vote in the poll. I'm pretty sure I know how this one is going to come out, but let's hear it directly from you.

The Yankees have officially acquired Alfonso Soriano and $17.7 million from the Cubs in return for High-A right-handed pitching prospect Corey Black. Soriano is in the Yankees lineup tonight, batting fourth and playing left field. New York will be on the hook for $6.5 million owed to Soriano for the remainder of 2013 and all of 2014.

Since June 25th, Soriano has hit .273/.316/.682 with ten home runs and six doubles. In July alone, Soriano's eight home runs are more than the Yankees' hitters have hit combined (seven). No matter which way you slice it, Soriano's production as a right-handed hitter with power slots very nicely into a lineup that has struggled mightily to find right-handed production all season. For the year, Soriano has a 100 wRC+ and a lefty/righty split that puts him above-average against left-handers (112 wRC+ vs. LHP, 93 wRC+ vs. RHP). His best month of the season so far has been July with a 145 wRC+ and a .243/.299/.629 batting line.

No 40-man roster move was needed for Soriano, because the Yankees were currently playing with 39 players in anticipation of the return of Alex Rodriguez or Curtis Granderson. Thomas Neal has been sent down to Triple-A to make room on the 25-man roster.

The press release from the Yankees had this to say about Soriano:

Soriano, 37, hit .254 (92-for-362) with 47 runs, 24 doubles, 17 home runs and 51 RBI in 93 games with the Cubs in 2013. He owns a .272 (1,989-for-7,305) career batting average with 1,093 runs, 458 doubles, 31 triples, 389 home runs and 1,086 RBI in 1,850 games over 15 Major League seasons with the Yankees (1999-2003), Texas Rangers (2004-05), Washington Nationals (2006) and Chicago Cubs (2007-13). His 54 career leadoff home runs trail only Rickey Henderson (81) for most in Major League history.

The San Pedro de Macoris, D.R., native was named to the All-Star team in seven consecutive seasons, playing for the American League from 2002-05 and the National League from 2006-08. He has also earned the Silver Slugger Award four times, once with the Yankees (2002), twice with Texas (2004-05) and once with the Nationals (2006).

In 2012, Soriano hit .262 (147-for-561) with 32 home runs and 108 RBI in 151 games for the Cubs, making just one error in 1,183.0 innings in the outfield. He joined David Ortiz and Albert Pujols as the only players to hit at least 20 home runs in each of the last 11 full seasons (2002-12) and is on pace to reach the plateau again in 2013.

Originally signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on September 29, 1998, Soriano played in 501 games with the club, batting .284 (571-for-2,010) with 326 runs, 124 doubles, 98 home runs, 270 RBI and 121 stolen bases.

In 2002, Soriano hit .300 (209-for-696) with 128 runs, 51 doubles, 39 home runs, 102 RBI and 41 stolen bases, leading the American League in at-bats, runs scored and stolen bases. His 696 at-bats in 2002 mark the highest single-season total in franchise history and his 51 doubles rank third, trailing only Don Mattingly's 53 in 1986 and Lou Gehrig's 52 in 1927. His 209 hits and 39 home runs in 2002 are the most by any Yankees second baseman in a single season.

Welcome back, Soriano! Here's to getting you a ring.

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• Corey Black: A nice prospect, but certainly worth Alfonso Soriano
• Alfonso Soriano trade: Should the Yankees try Vernon Wells at first base now?
• Alfonso Soriano trade rumors: Cubs zeroing in on Yankees Corey Black
• The Yankees-Rangers series: A season in microcosm
• Yankees GIFs of the Week: Stewart pumped, Nunez stumbles, and Gardner gets a gift

The Philadelphia Phillies have agreed to sign Cuban right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez to a six-year contract worth $48 million in guaranteed money, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports. Passan notes that the deal could reach $59 million due to the bonus money involved, and MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez says that the deal includes a vesting option for the 2019 season worth $11 million.

Cuban RHP Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and Philadelphia Phillies have agreed on six-year deal worth more than $50M, club source tells Y! Sports.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 27, 2013

Cuban RHP Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and Philadelphia Phillies have agreed on six-year deal worth more than $50M, club source tells Y! Sports.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 27, 2013

The Phillies beat out the Red Sox to sign Gonzalez, according to Passan, which aligns with Red Sox President/CEO Larry Lucchino's comments that the Sox were "looking pretty hard" at Gonzalez. The Braves, Dodgers, Cubs and Rangers were also seriously involved in the Gonzalez sweepstakes while the Blue Jays, Twins, Yankees and Marlins all showed some level of interest. While Minnesota and Miami were considered longshots due to the price tag, the other teams were all rumored to have a legitimate chance at signing the 26-year old.

Gonzalez, who fled Cuba earlier in the year, impressed major league scouts in two showcases in Tijuana last month. His fastball sat in the mid-90s for most of the showcases, and even touched 97 mph. People within the game project that the right-hander will need a few starts in the minors to start, but will likely be able to join the Phillies' major league rotation for the end of the season.

With this signing, the Phillies have signaled that they will still try to be competitive this season, meaning that they are unlikely to sell key assets before Wednesday's trade deadline. Pieces like Cliff Lee, Michael Young, Jonathan Papelbon and Carlos Ruiz were rumored to be in play in trade talks, but Philadelphia's aggressiveness in the Gonzalez sweepstakes means that they will try to make a playoff run this season. Teams like the Red Sox and Dodgers, who were looking at spending on Gonzalez as an alternative to giving up top prospects for a starter at the deadline, will have to bow to the seller's market if they want to acquire a rotation piece like Bud Norris, Yovani Gallardo, Jake Peavy or Ervin Santana.

This one got away in a hurry. Alfonso Soriano's return to the New York Yankees was ruined by that terrible, no good, very bad CC Sabathia after he gave up seven runs on nine hits after walking three batters and striking out six over five innings. In the second inning, CC gave up six runs on six hits and a walk and then gave up another run in the fifth inning before leaving the game. All nine Rays batters got a hit off Sabathia.

Adam Warren took over from there and he didn't fair much better. He threw a scoreless first inning, but in the seventh inning he surrendered a three-run home run to James Loney to make it 10–1. Warren gave up three runs on three hits, three walks and two strikeouts in four innings.

It wasn't even a matter of being shut down by a good pitcher. Jeremy Hellickson only threw 57 strikes out of 102 total pitches and struck out three batters. He loaded the bases in the third inning and let two reach in the fourth, but only gave up one run. New York's offense came in the form of Austin Romine, who has suddenly started hitting with a .467/.500/.733 batting line since July 11. He singled in a run in the third inning to move his season batting average to above the Mendoza line. Brett Gardner (2), Lyle Overbay, and Brent Lillibridge (2) singled while Robinson Cano, Eduardo Nunez, and Romine collected a walk each and that was it for the starting lineup.

The subs came in and did a better job than the regulars. Melky Mesa hit the team's first extra base hit in the eighth with a double and came around to score on a David Adams single. Chris Stewart then drove in a run of his own with a double. In the ninth inning Lillibridge and Gardner each collected their second hits of the night, Romine walked, and Melky Mesa scored a run on a single off a diving Ben Zobrist's glove. Adams hit an RBI-single to make it 10–5 and Soriano grounded into a force-out with the bases loaded to score a run before their comeback attempt fell short at six runs.

In Soriano's return to the Yankees he went hitless in five at-bats where he flied out with the bases loaded in the third inning and grounded into a force-out with the bases loaded in the ninth. he scored a run and collected an RBI, but ended up leaving a total of six runners on base.

With this win the Rays move into first place in the AL East and the Yankees stay in fourth place.

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• Yankees trades: Alfonso Soriano and cash acquired for Corey Black
• Corey Black: A nice prospect, but certainly worth Alfonso Soriano
• The Yankees-Rangers series: A season in microcosm
• Yankees Prospect Interview: Brady Lail
• Alfonso Soriano trade: Should the Yankees try Vernon Wells at first base now?

Per Jon Heyman, Derek Jeter could be activated off of the DL this coming Sunday, July 28th against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Captain's is eligible to come off of his DL stint this Saturday, but the Yankees are talking extra precautions with Jeter. When Derek Jeter came off of the DL on July 11th he suffered a Grade 1 quad strain while running down the base line. Needless to say, it is perfectly understandable why they are being a bit more cautious this time around.

Jeter will play in a simulated game this Saturday and the Yankees will judge whether or not they will activate him this Sunday or not. He says he "feels fine" and "is ready to play," which is typical for Jeter. With the Yankees' recent acquisition of Alfonso Soriano, having Jeter's bat (hopefully still in 2012 mode) back in the lineup would go a long way to making it seem like an offensive threat.

Hideki Matsui's retirement as a Yankee is also scheduled for that Sunday. Having Jeter in the lineup would be an extra treat for what should already be a great day in the Bronx.

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• Yankees 6, Rays 10: Soriano doesn't help
• Yankees trades: Alfonso Soriano and cash acquired for Corey Black
• The Yankees-Rangers series: A season in microcosm
• Corey Black: A nice prospect, but certainly worth Alfonso Soriano
• Alfonso Soriano trade: Should the Yankees try Vernon Wells at first base now?

The New York Yankees could get their captain back -- again -- this weekend, as Derek Jeter could be ready to play as soon as Sunday.

The 39-year-old will play in a simulated game Saturday, and if all is well, he'll be in the team's lineup for their series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. Jeter has only played in one game this season, but suffered a quad strain legging out a ground ball in his first game back from a fractured ankle suffered in last year's ALCS. Although the Yankees tried to keep him on the roster, the quad strain turned out to be bad enough that a stint on the disabled list was needed.

He's sorely needed in New York. The stats show that the Yankees are one of the worst right-handed hitting teams of all time, if not the worst in comparison to other teams in the league. Shortstop has been handled primarily by Jayson Nix, but he's only hitting .236 and is now on the disabled list with a hamstring strain. He had been spelling for Eduardo Nunez, who is hitting only .230 and also spent a large portion of time on the DL with an oblique injury, and is a worse fielder than he is a hitter. Stopgaps have included Reid Brignac, who hit .114 before being released in June, and Luis Cruz, who is currently hitting .182. Jeter's return will be more than just a moral victory in the Bronx -- he can hopefully provide a badly needed boost at a position where they've gotten little to no production.

Unlike the Alex Rodriguez situation, the Yankees appear to be genuinely pleased to have Jeter back.

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• The Marco Scutaro rainglobe, revealed

• Brisbee: Reality is a jerk

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• Trade review: Soriano to the Yankees

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The Philadelphia Phillies are not closing the door on a potential trade involving Cliff Lee and will listen to offers for the star left-hander, according to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick. Crasnick notes that "multiple teams are making a late run at the Phillies with offers for Lee", and spoke with general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. about the possibility of dealing the 34-year old.

"I never put any real absolutes on anything," Amaro said. "Although we don't have any desire to move a guy like that because we view him as someone who will be key to our future, I am a businessperson as well and I'll be a good listener."

"I can't sit here and say I'm not going to trade Chase Utley, or Cliff Lee, or Michael Young or Carlos Ruiz, or any of these guys. Some guys are less tradable than others. But I think I owe it to us as an organization to listen. If teams are going to come at us and suggest things, I'm not going to turn off the faucet and stop listening to them."

The Phillies, who made headlines on Friday night by agreeing to sign star Cuban right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, are in a difficult position as the trade deadline approaches. They currently sit nine games back of the NL East-leading Braves, but have not committed to become sellers at the deadline. While teams have shown interest in assets like Lee, Young, Ruiz, Utley and closer Jonathan Papelbon, Philadelphia has shown a reluctance to give up on the season by selling key assets.

Young has drawn interest from many teams, including the Yankees, Red Sox, Reds and Rangers, and is the most likely Phillie to be dealt before the deadline. The team is reportedly working on an extension with Utley, and deals involving Ruiz or Papelbon are considered very unlikely. If Lee hits the market, he would instantly become the top starter available over Jake Peavy, Ervin Santana and Bud Norris.

Lee can block trades to twenty teams due to a partial no-trade clause in his contract, as Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com reported in June. The Red Sox, Yankees, Orioles and Rangers are among the teams on that list, and the Cardinals are not. While Texas is all set after acquiring Matt Garza and Lee is probably out of Baltimore's price range, the Red Sox and Cardinals are known to be actively looking for starting pitching. Unlike Boston, St. Louis could pull off a deal for the left-hander without Lee's approval, which would be an easier process. Other teams in the market for starters include the Blue Jays, Pirates, Dodgers and Athletics, but it is unclear at this time if Lee can block a trade to any of those teams.

More from MLB Daily Dish:

• Phillies agree to sign Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez
• Phillies release Carlos Zambrano
• Yankees acquire Alfonso Soriano from Cubs
• Phillies, Chase Utley discussing extension

It has been known for months now that the Yankees planned to sign Hideki Matsui to a one day contract in order to allow him to retire as a Yankee, but now we have details about the ceremony and how it will actually work.

According to a press release via email, the first 18,000 fans that attend Sunday's game will receive a Hideki Matsui bobblehead that depicts him holding his 2009 World Series MVP Award. Then, before the game, he will sign a minor league contract to officially rejoin the Yankees organization.

The ceremony will begin a half hour before the schedule game time with a video montage on the video board. Matsui will then enter on a golf cart in center field and be driven down the third base line to home plate. There will be a desk and chair there along with Brian Cashman, Assistant GM Jean Afterman, and Matsui's parents. He will sign his retirement papers and will be presented with a framed 2009 New York Yankees jersey. Hideki Matsui will then throw out the ceremonial first pitch at around 1 pm and the ceremony will be complete.

It sounds like a bizarre ceremony, but people love Matsui, so I'm sure it will be enjoyable to watch. It's a great ending to a great Yankee career and hopefully this won't be the last we see of the man they call Godzilla. Maybe he plans to work with players or maybe he simply wants to ride off into the sunset from here, either way let's all enjoy the day.

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• Yankees 0, Rays 1: At least they got two hits
• Alfonso Soriano trade: Brian Cashman overruled by Yankees ownership (again)
• Yankees prospects: 2013 mid-season #11-15
• Yankees trade rumors: Hunter Pence checked in on but Giants not selling yet
• Yankees trade for Alfonso Soriano: Community Reactions

Notes

Joe Blanton will pitch in long relief for the time being. Garret Richards has taken his spot in the rotation. Richards is not a guy worth trusting in mixed leagues.

Brett Lawrie is likely done playing second base this season after committing two errors in six games played there. He has already gained eligibility there in any league with a 5 game eligibility rule.

Martin Perez is at risk of being removed from the Rangers rotation with the way he has pitched lately. He let up 6 ER against the Indians yesterday and will have to be better in his next start on Wednesday against the Angels.

Andre Rienzo could be the top option to replace Jake Peavy in the White Sox rotation if he is traded. I like Rienzo to be useful in deeper mixed leagues or AL-only leagues. He pitched in the futures game and has a 1.64 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning over his last ten AAA starts.

Alfonso Soriano was traded to the Yankees and should be an everyday fixture in their lineup the rest of the way.

Injuries

Mike Zunino could be out for up to two months with a broken hand. Jesus Montero isn't playing catcher anymore and isn't an option for a call-up unless the Mariners change their mind about him.

Albert Pujols' foot is getting worse and he may need to be placed on the DL.

Jason Vargas should be able to make his return in Mid-August. His surgery didn't have to do with his arm, elbow, or shoulder so he should come back at 100%.

Zach McCallister was activated to start against the Mariners this past Tuesday and he'll make his next start on Monday against the White Sox. He's worth a pickup in AL-only leagues.

Clay Buchholz has had multiple setbacks but he could be back in about a month if he keeps progressing.

Derek Jeter should make his return within a couple days.

Rays top pitching prospect Taylor Guerrieri will undergo Tommy John surgery.

Curtis Granderson is about a week away from returning to the Yankees lineup. At that point it will be interesting to see what the team does with Travis Hafner who has a shoulder issue and hasn't been producing for a while now.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the decision to acquire Alfonso Soriano did not come from Brian Cashman, but directly from ownership. When asked about the decision to make the trade, Cashman provided a vague yet telling explanation for the trade:

I would say we are in a desperate time. Ownership wants to go for it. I didn't want to give up a young arm [Corey Black]. But I understand the desperate need we have for offense. And Soriano will help us. The bottom line is this guy makes us better. Did ownership want him? Absolutely, yes. Does he make us better? Absolutely, yes. This is what Hal wants, and this is why we are doing it.

The Yankees are in fourth place just days away from the trade deadline and Hal Steinbrenner wanted to make a splash to help improve the team. He likely also wanted to take focus away from the $189 million budget plan that got them in this predicament in the first place.

This signing would mark the second Soriano that ownership has forced Cashman to sign after they signed Rafael Soriano for three years. It has also been said that Steinbrenner pushed for a two-year Ichiro Suzuki deal and prevented Cashman from re-signing Russell Martin. At this rate the amount of transactions mandated by ownership will out number the moves the actual general manager ordered.

More from Pinstriped Bible:

• Yankees to honor Hideki Matsui on Sunday
• Yankees prospects: 2013 mid-season #11-15
• Yankees trade for Alfonso Soriano: Community Reactions
• Yankees trade rumors: Hunter Pence checked in on but Giants not selling yet
• Corey Black: A nice prospect, but certainly worth Alfonso Soriano