Alfonso Soriano

Seven-time MLB All-Star Alfonso Soriano started his exceptional career with the New York Yankees, and four months after his release from the club in July he has decided to hang up his cleats for good.

Monday evening, the New York Yankees' Alfonso Soriano became the seventh player in major league history to reach 1,000 hits in both the American and National Leagues, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

Alfonso Soriano had himself a whale of a game on Tuesday night, clubbing a pair of home runs in his first two at-bats to reach 400 career dingers.

The New York Yankees left fielder has been on fire, and J.A. Happ and the Toronto Blue Jays could do nothing but watch as they faced him.

Alfonso Soriano clubbed home run No. 400 on Tuesday night against the Toronto Blue Jays, becoming the 51st player in MLB history to reach the milestone.

Alfonso Soriano made his return to New York Friday, as he played for the Yankees for the first time since 2003.

I’ve recently taken a look at some starting pitchers and relievers who could be available by midseason, assuming their team is out of contention or just has a lot of depth and is looking to upgrade in another area.

The New York Yankees need some help in the outfield now that Curtis Granderson is out until May with a broken forearm, but taking on one-time Bronx Bombers prospect Alfonso Soriano is not the answer.

Alfonso Soriano doesn't want to play for a losing team anymore (via Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times), and the New York Yankees aren't exactly set at the designated hitter's spot in the lineup. Match made in heaven, right?

Well, not so fast.

Could a player such as Alfonso Soriano or Rick Porcello be dealt before the start of spring training?

That seems to be the question of the hour as teams gear up for the start of the spring season.

The 2013 MLB preseason schedule kicks off in earnest next month when teams report to their respective spring training homes in Florida and Arizona. Players such as Soriano and Porcello could be moved before the opening of camps.

MLB fans have seen a slew of free-agent acquisitions this offseason, but there are still a handful of potential trades that could happen before spring training starts.

MLB trade rumors are about as common as Mark Sanchez turnovers, but the following five players and their rumored deals have some weight to them.