1. Early Life and Background
Alfonso Soriano was born on January 7, 1976. His paternal family, the Guilleards, have Haitian descent, while his mother, Doña Andrea Soriano, is the sister of Hilario Soriano, a former catcher for the Tigres del Licey baseball team. He began his professional baseball career in Japan with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, where he trained at their Carp Academy for Dominican players.
2. Professional Career
Alfonso Soriano's professional career spanned from the mid-1990s in Japan to his eventual retirement from Major League Baseball in 2014, marked by his impactful contributions to several teams and his rare combination of power and speed.
2.1. Hiroshima Toyo Carp (1996-1997)
Soriano began his professional career in 1996, playing in Japan's minor Western League with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. In 1997, he was promoted to the top team, where he appeared in nine games. He recorded 2 hits in 17 at bats, resulting in a .118 batting average, and drew two walks.
Soriano grew dissatisfied with the demanding Japanese practice regimen and was denied a requested salary increase from 45.00 K USD to 180.00 K USD per year. Following in the footsteps of players like Hideo Nomo and Hideki Irabu who had left Japan for MLB, Soriano enlisted the help of agent Don Nomura. Nomura initially attempted to void Soriano's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) contract by claiming Soriano was a minor when he signed it, but this argument was unsuccessful. Nomura then advised Soriano to retire from NPB and pursue a career in MLB, similar to Nomo's path. This led the Carp to file an injunction against Soriano and send letters to MLB teams warning against negotiations. However, because MLB had not agreed to NPB's amended Working Agreement (which was changed after the Nomo case to prevent such departures), MLB Commissioner Bud Selig declared Soriano a free agent on July 13, 1998, leading the Carp to withdraw their opposition.
2.2. New York Yankees (1998-2003)
Soriano signed as a free agent with the New York Yankees in 1998, initially playing as a third baseman before transitioning to second base. In 1999, he was named to the All-Star Futures Game and earned the game's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award after hitting two home runs. He made his MLB debut for the Yankees in 1999, hitting a game-winning home run for his first MLB hit against Norm Charlton of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
In 2001, Soriano finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting. During the 2001 World Series, he hit a go-ahead home run off Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Curt Schilling in Game 7, though Arizona ultimately won the series. In this season, he played 158 games, with 574 at-bats, 154 hits, 34 doubles, 3 triples, 18 home runs, 73 runs batted in (RBI), and 43 stolen bases. His batting average was .268.
The 2002 and 2003 seasons were particularly strong for Soriano. In 2002, he became only the second Yankee in franchise history, after Bobby Bonds in 1975, to achieve the 30 home run, 30 stolen base feat. He repeated this accomplishment in 2003. In 2002, he led the American League with 696 at bats, 209 hits, 92 extra-base hits, 41 stolen bases, and 128 runs. He also set a Yankees' team record for most at bats (696) and most strikeouts (157) in a season. His batting average was .300.
In 2003, Soriano set a major league record by hitting 13 lead-off home runs in a single season. For the second consecutive year, he led the league in at bats and ranked among the top five in base hits, doubles, home runs, and stolen bases. He again led the major leagues in power-speed number with 36.4. In 2003, he played 156 games, with 682 at-bats, 198 hits, 36 doubles, 5 triples, 38 home runs, 91 RBIs, and 35 stolen bases, maintaining a .290 batting average.
2.3. Texas Rangers (2004-2005)
In 2004, Soriano was part of a major trade, moving to the Texas Rangers along with minor leaguer Joaquin Árias in exchange for Alex Rodriguez and 67.00 M USD in cash from Rodríguez's remaining contract. On May 8, 2004, Soriano achieved a six-hit game in a 10-inning victory over the Detroit Tigers, becoming the first Ranger to do so. This game was notable for an hour-long fifth inning where 18 runs were scored by both teams, tying an MLB record.
That same year, Soriano was elected as the starting second baseman for the 2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He hit a three-run home run off Roger Clemens in the first inning and was named the MVP of the game. For the 2004 season, he played 145 games, recording 170 hits, 32 doubles, 4 triples, 28 home runs, 91 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases, with a .280 batting average.
In 2005, Soriano continued his strong offensive performance, finishing sixth in the American League for stolen bases and third for extra-base hits. He again led the major leagues in power-speed number with 32.7. In 156 games, he had 171 hits, 43 doubles, 2 triples, 36 home runs, 104 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases, with a .268 batting average.
2.4. Washington Nationals (2006)
On December 7, 2005, Soriano was traded to the Washington Nationals in exchange for Brad Wilkerson, Terrmel Sledge, and minor league pitcher Armando Galarraga. On February 10, 2006, Soriano received a record-setting salary of 10.00 M USD through arbitration, surpassing the previous high of 8.20 M USD set by Andruw Jones in 2001. The Nationals offered him a five-year, 50.00 M USD extension, but Soriano rejected it, opting to pursue free agency after the season.
On March 20, 2006, Nationals manager Frank Robinson assigned Soriano to play left field, a position he initially refused to take, having played exclusively at second base since 2001. The organization threatened disqualification and forfeiture of his salary, which would have affected his eligibility for free agency. Two days later, Soriano relented and began playing left field. He quickly adapted, leading the league in outfield assists by the All-Star break. He made his fifth consecutive All-Star team, becoming only the third player to start All-Star games for both leagues at two different positions.
On August 25, 2006, a week after reaching the 30-30 club for the fourth time, Soriano became the fastest player in baseball history to accumulate 200 home runs and 200 stolen bases, achieving the mark in 929 games and breaking the previous record of 1,053 games held by Eric Davis. In September, he recorded his 20th outfield assist, becoming the only player in baseball history with 40 home runs, 40 stolen bases, and 20 assists in a single season.
On September 16, Soriano stole second base in the first inning, becoming the fourth player to join the exclusive 40-40 club, following Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, and Alex Rodriguez. His 40-40 season was often noted as "clean" due to the steroid controversies surrounding the other three members. Soriano was also the only one of the four to achieve the feat while playing at home. Six days later, he became the first player to reach 40 home runs, 40 stolen bases, and 40 doubles in one season.
Soriano also set a new career high in walks with 67 (previously 38) and in home runs with 46 (previously 39). He led the National League in extra-base hits (89) and the major leagues in power-speed number (43.36), which was the second-highest single-season career mark ever until Ronald Acuña Jr. set a new record in 2023. For the 2006 season, in 159 games, he had 179 hits, 41 doubles, 2 triples, 46 home runs, 95 RBIs, and 41 stolen bases, with a .277 batting average.
2.4.1. Trade Discussions
The Nationals considered trading Soriano before the July 31 deadline in 2006 because he was in the final year of his contract, which would grant him free agency at the end of the season. Losing him would have given the Nationals a compensatory draft pick, but Soriano stated a strong desire to remain with the team and declined to engage in contract negotiations during the season. Both fans and players voiced support for Soriano staying. Manager Frank Robinson praised Soriano's clubhouse leadership and even suggested him for the National League MVP award. While teams like the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Dodgers expressed interest, Nationals general manager Jim Bowden determined that the offers were not sufficient for a trade. Despite hopes for a long-term deal, Soriano rejected a 70.00 M USD offer on October 12, 2006.
2.5. Chicago Cubs (2007-2013)
Soriano signed a significant eight-year contract with the Chicago Cubs worth nearly 136.00 M USD prior to the 2007 season, making it the most expensive deal in Cubs franchise history at the time. The contract included a no-trade clause.
2.5.1. 2007 Season
Cubs manager Lou Piniella initially assigned Soriano to play center field, but later moved him to left field after Soriano sustained a hamstring injury. Soriano struggled in April, batting .270 with no home runs. However, he hit his first home run of the season in the Cubs' first game in May and gradually improved his batting average throughout the month.
He was highly productive in June, including hitting three home runs off Lance Cormier in a game against the Atlanta Braves, a feat he had coincidentally achieved against the Braves before. Soriano also hit home runs in three consecutive games during the Cross-town Classic against the Chicago White Sox. His strong performance earned him the National League's Player of the Month title for June. He was selected as a reserve outfielder for the 2007 MLB All-Star Game, where he hit a two-run home run for the National League in the ninth inning. Soriano's home run hitting was integral to the Cubs' successful chase for the National League Central division title in June and July, overcoming an eight-game deficit against the Milwaukee Brewers.
In early August, Soriano tore his right quadriceps during a game against the New York Mets and was placed on the fifteen-day disabled list. Upon his return on August 28, 2007, Soriano had the most productive September in franchise history, hitting 14 home runs, driving in 27 runs, and recording a .320 batting average in 29 games. He later revealed that his time off due to the quad injury also helped heal pre-existing wrist injuries. The Cubs won the National League Central Division but were swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Division Series. Soriano finished the season with 33 home runs (including 11 lead-off home runs), 70 RBIs, and a .299 batting average. He led the Cubs in home runs, triples, runs, strikeouts, and slugging percentage among regular starters. In 135 games, he also had 173 hits, 42 doubles, 5 triples, 19 stolen bases, and 70 RBIs.
2.5.2. 2008 Season
Soriano started the 2008 season slowly, batting only .190 before being placed on the disabled list with a strained calf. After his activation, he quickly improved, raising his average to .280. In a single week in May, he hit seven home runs in six games, batting nearly .500 during that stretch. By the end of May, he had 12 home runs and 33 RBIs. Despite his offensive production, his defense remained poor. After returning from the disabled list, he was advised to stop his characteristic hop when catching fly balls, which seemed to negatively impact his fielding. He misjudged two balls in a game against St. Louis on May 2, and was heavily booed by Cubs fans. However, he hit a ninth-inning home home run to force extra innings in that game. Later that month, he dropped a potential game-ending fly ball due to losing it in the sun, costing the Cubs a win against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
On June 11, 2008, Soriano suffered a broken bone in his left hand after being hit by a pitch. On July 7, he was voted a starter in the 2008 MLB All-Star Game but was replaced by Matt Holliday due to the injury. Despite his defensive challenges, Soriano's arm was a significant asset, and he ranked among the league's leaders in outfield assists. He also led the team in home runs despite playing in only 109 games. On August 22, he achieved the rare feat of stealing home plate in a loss to the Washington Nationals. In early September, Soriano broke the Cubs' six-game losing streak by hitting three home runs with five RBIs against the Cincinnati Reds, marking the third three-home run game of his career. However, he struggled offensively in the postseason against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS. Soriano also had an embarrassing moment on August 13, 2008, when he watched a long ball, thinking it was a home run, and slowly jogged to first base, only for it to fall short and result in just a single. He later apologized to his team. For the 2008 season, in 109 games, he had 127 hits, 27 doubles, 29 home runs, 75 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases, with a .280 batting average.
2.5.3. 2009 Season
Soriano started the 2009 season strongly, hitting a solo home run in his first at-bat and a game-tying solo home run in the second game. On April 11, he hit a two-run home run off Carlos Villanueva in the top of the ninth, securing a 6-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. The following day, he hit his 51st lead-off home run off Jeff Suppan on the first pitch he saw. On April 17, he hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning to give the Cubs an 8-7 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. However, his performance declined in May, with a .216 batting average for the month.
In voting for the 2009 All-Star Game, Soriano ranked fourth among National League outfielders with 2,692,994 votes. Shortly before the All-Star break, manager Lou Piniella moved Soriano lower in the batting order, a decision Soriano accepted, acknowledging he wasn't performing his job as a lead-off hitter. The change seemed to help his performance. In the first series after the All-Star break, he hit two go-ahead home runs against the Washington Nationals. On July 27, he hit a walk-off grand slam against the Houston Astros in the 13th inning.
In September 2009, Soriano underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Defensively, he led all major league left fielders in errors with 11 and had the lowest fielding percentage (.950). In 117 games for the 2009 season, he recorded 115 hits, 25 doubles, 1 triple, 20 home runs, 55 RBIs, and 9 stolen bases, with a .241 batting average.
2.5.4. 2010-2012 Seasons
After a less productive 2009 season, Soriano was permanently placed in the sixth spot in the Cubs' batting lineup for 2010. He rebounded by playing in 147 games, his highest total for the Cubs that season, and collected 40 doubles and 79 RBIs. On June 11, 2010, Soriano hit his 300th career home run off Jake Peavy. Defensively, he again led major league left fielders in errors with 7 and had the lowest fielding percentage at .968. For 2010, his batting average was .258, along with 24 home runs and 5 stolen bases.
In 2011, Soriano continued to struggle defensively, leading left fielders in errors with 7 and holding the lowest fielding percentage at .965. He batted .244, drove in 88 runs, and hit 26 home runs in 137 games, with 116 hits, 27 doubles, 1 triple, and 2 stolen bases.
The 2012 season marked a significant improvement for Soriano. He hit 32 home runs, his best batting average in years (.262), and a personal best of 108 RBIs, which ranked third in the National League. In 151 games, he also contributed 147 hits, 33 doubles, 2 triples, and 6 stolen bases. In the field, he committed only one error, also a personal best for his defensive performance.
2.5.5. 2013 Season (First Half)
Soriano started the 2013 season with the Cubs, playing 93 games. He batted .254 with 17 home runs and 51 RBIs. His batting average and home run production were particularly strong in June and July, making him a desirable player as the trade deadline approached.
2.6. New York Yankees (2013-2014)
2.6.1. 2013 Season (Second Half)
On July 26, 2013, the Cubs traded Soriano back to the New York Yankees. As part of the deal, the Yankees paid him 5.00 M USD prorated for 2013 and 5.00 M USD of the 18.00 M USD owed to him in 2014. In return, the Cubs received pitcher Corey Black from the Single-A Tampa Yankees. On August 11, 2013, Soriano recorded his 2,000th career hit, a home run off Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander.
On August 13, 2013, Soriano hit two home runs and achieved a career-high six RBIs. The very next day, he broke that personal record by driving in seven runs, becoming one of only three players in the live-ball era to drive in at least six runs in back-to-back games (the others being Rusty Greer in 1997 and Geoff Jenkins in 2001). He also became one of only seven players to record 13 RBIs in a two-game span, falling just two RBIs short of the all-time record set by former Yankee Tony Lazzeri.
From August 13 to 16, Soriano batted in 18 runs over four consecutive games, tying the Major League record for most RBIs in a four-game stretch. During this period, he also recorded 13 hits, making him the only player in MLB history with 18 RBIs and at least 12 hits over four games. Other players who achieved 18 RBIs in four games include Jim Bottomley (1929), Lou Gehrig (1930), Tony Lazzeri (1936), Joe DiMaggio (1939), and Sammy Sosa (2002). Soriano was named the AL Player of the Week for August 12-18.
On August 27, Soriano hit two home runs, with the second being the 400th of his career. For the remainder of the 2013 season with the Yankees, Soriano played 58 games, batting .256 with 17 home runs and 50 RBIs. Overall in 2013, combining his statistics from both the Cubs and Yankees, Soriano played 151 total games, batting .255 with 34 home runs and 101 RBIs, also achieving 18 stolen bases.
2.6.2. 2014 Season
With the Yankees' signings of Carlos Beltrán and Jacoby Ellsbury, Soriano began the 2014 season primarily as a designated hitter and occasionally played right field. His playing time became limited as he struggled offensively. On July 6, 2014, Soriano was designated for assignment by the Yankees, and he was subsequently released on July 14. In 67 games during his final season, Soriano batted .221 with 6 home runs and 23 RBIs.
3. Retirement
Alfonso Soriano officially announced his retirement from baseball on November 4, 2014. He stated that he had "lost the love and passion to play the game" and emphasized that his family had become his highest priority, despite feeling physically fit. At the time of his retirement, Soriano's 412 career home runs placed him 53rd on the all-time MLB list.
4. Playing Style and Attributes
Alfonso Soriano was renowned for his unique blend of offensive power and speed, a combination that made him a significant threat at the plate and on the basepaths throughout his career.
4.1. Batting and Baserunning
Soriano's offensive approach was characterized by his significant home run power, enabling him to hit for extra bases consistently. He also possessed effective baserunning skills, highlighted by his ability to steal bases. His overall offensive output led him to achieve membership in both the 30-30 club (multiple times) and the exclusive 40-40 club.
4.2. Fielding
Soriano began his MLB career as an infielder, primarily at second base for the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers. During his tenure at second base from 2001 to 2005, he led all major league second basemen in errors each year. He transitioned to an outfielder with the Washington Nationals in 2006. In his first year as an outfielder, while he was second among all major league left fielders in errors with 11, he also led all left fielders with 22 assists and 9 double plays, demonstrating his strong arm. His range factor as a left fielder was 2.29. His defense, particularly in the outfield, was sometimes perceived as poor, and he was encouraged to modify his distinctive hop when catching fly balls. However, his strong arm remained an asset, and he was consistently among the league leaders in outfield assists. Later in his career with the Chicago Cubs, he still led major league left fielders in errors in 2009 and 2010 with 11 and 7 errors respectively, and had the lowest fielding percentage among them in those years (.950 and .968). By 2012, however, he significantly improved his fielding, making only one error, a personal best.
Below is a summary of Alfonso Soriano's career fielding statistics:
| Games | Games Started | Innings Played | Total Chances | Putouts | Assists | Errors | Double Plays | Range Factor | Fielding Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1796 | 1775 | 15400.2 | 5668 | 3311 | 2191 | 166 | 504 | 3.22 | .971 |
5. Awards and Honors
Alfonso Soriano accumulated numerous awards and honors throughout his professional baseball career, recognizing his consistent high-level performance and unique skill set.
- 7× All-Star (2002-2008)
- 4× Silver Slugger Award (2002, 2004-2006)
- MLB All-Star Game MVP (2004)
- AL stolen base leader (2002)
- 4× 30-30 club (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006)
- 40-40 club (2006)
- American League Player of the Month (April 2003, September 2003)
- National League Player of the Month (June 2007)
- AL Player of the Week (August 12-18, 2013)
6. Personal Life
Alfonso Soriano is married to Carmen Isis Eusebio. Together, they have three daughters: Alisis, Angeline, and Alisha, and three sons: Allen, Angel, and Alfonso Jr.
7. Legacy
Alfonso Soriano's legacy in baseball is defined by his rare combination of power and speed, distinguishing him as one of the few players capable of achieving both high home run totals and significant stolen base numbers. His entry into the 40-40 club in 2006, where he became only the fourth player in MLB history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a single season, stands as a crowning achievement. This accomplishment is particularly notable as it was considered by many to be a "clean" 40-40 season, differentiating it from those achieved by players implicated in the steroid controversy. Furthermore, Soriano holds the unique distinction of being the only player in baseball history to record 40 home runs, 40 stolen bases, and 20 outfield assists in a single season. His career total of 412 home runs also places him among an elite group of only 58 major league players to reach the 400-homer milestone. At the time of his retirement, he ranked seventh among active players in career home runs. These statistical achievements, combined with his impactful multi-team career, solidify Alfonso Soriano's position as a memorable and uniquely talented player in baseball history.