Washington Nationals superstar outfielder Juan Soto has reportedly rejected a 15-year, $440 million contract extension, which will likely result in the two-time All-MLB first-teamer being traded at some point.
While the Philadelphia Phillies have not been mentioned as a possible suitor, 94WIP's Joe Giglio brought up one way the franchise can get involved.
"Nobody is going to offer the Nationals a current great player," Giglio said on Tuesday's 94WIP Evening Show. "They may offer better prospects than the Phillies. But no one is offering them a current great player. No one is going to offer the Nationals a player that could already be in the face of their franchise. And no one else can offer the Nationals a guy who has already been the face of the franchise, a guy who never actually wanted to leave.
"They should offer Bryce Harper for Juan Soto. I would do it in a heartbeat, and I am one of the biggest Bryce Harper fans you'll talk to."
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"Juan Soto is better than Bryce Harper, now. Juan Soto over the next 10 years will be better than Bryce Harper over his next 10 years. There's not a question in my mind, he is a better player."
Giglio believes the Nationals would at least listen to the Phillies' offer of Harper for a multitude of reasons.
"I don't think the Nationals would hang up the phone," Giglio said. "They have new ownership coming in. Bryce Harper, at one point, was going to be the best player in Nationals history. He can continue the trajectory by going back. They obviously are OK paying a star player because they offered Juan Soto $440 million. Bryce Harper, in effect, would be a discount for them. They would get a comparable player, one that already is popular with their fans—or at least was for a long time—and they'd pay him way less than Juan Soto."
The 94WIP Evening Show Twitter account posed this question to their fans and 80% of folks said they would not trade Harper for Soto.
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Harper, 29, is six years older than Soto, 23.
For his career, Soto slashes .293/.427/.541 and averages 34 homers and 104 RBIs per season.
Harper, who was named the NL MVP last season, slashes .281/.391/.528 for his career, averaging 34 homers and 96 RBIs per season.
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