(Audacy) The Nationals are reportedly willing to entertain trade offers for 23-year-old superstar outfielder Juan Soto after he recently turned down a $440-million extension, which makes him the most desirable player on the trade market.
In any potential deal, the price tag for Soto will be astronomical, as the Nationals have him under team control through 2024 and thus won't feel forced to trade him by the Aug. 2 deadline. A Soto deal could be the "biggest trade package ever," as Jeff Passan of ESPN suggested.
Soto just turned down a 15-year, $440-million extension from the Nationals, which was an annual average of $29.3 million. Nationals ownership, the Lerner family, is also looking to sell the team, which may also factor into any deal.
It would be silly to limit the possible landing spots for Soto to five or six teams. Theoretically, every club — or at least contending team — should be a possible landing spot for a star of Soto’s caliber.
The best way to analyze this is to look at the landing spots in tiers, so let's assess them.
Wealthy teams
Dodgers, Yankees, Mets
Will the rich get richer when it comes to the Soto sweepstakes? The Dodgers have never shied away from their pursuit of a big-time star, and the addition of Soto would put them in a class of their own in the National League.
The Yankees have their own superstar in Aaron Judge whom they want to re-sign, and an outfield of Soto, Judge and Giancarlo Stanton would make Murderers' Row look like a tee ball team. It would also cost nearly $1 billion to pay the three of them in addition to the top prospects (perhaps Anthony Volpe and Jasson Dominguez as a starting point) and team-controlled stars (Gleyber Torres? Nestor Cortes?) that the Yankees would have to give up to get Soto. It begs the question: Would Soto be an alternative if they can't sign Judge? He's seven years younger, so the back half of the contract wouldn't be as debilitating as paying Judge in his waning years. Perhaps the offseason would be the best time for the Yankees to make a move on Soto.
The Nationals probably would want to steer clear of trading Soto within the NL East, but the Mets have the pockets and the prospects that could present an offer their rival can't refuse. Catching prospect Francisco Alvarez would have to be the centerpiece in any package. With the deep pockets of owner Steve Cohen behind them, the Mets could also offer to take on a bad contract — such as Patrick Corbin or Stephen Strasburg — which may entice the Nationals to consider them.
Contenders
Giants, Red Sox
The Giants could use some power in the middle of their lineup, and Soto could step right in and start launching bombs into McCovey Cove the way Barry Bonds once did. The Nationals would likely covet Marco Luciano, a top-10 prospect in baseball, and others in the farm system with the Giants possibly taking a bad contract back in return as well. But adding Soto could allow for the Giants to compete with the Dodgers and Padres for years to come.
The Red Sox are another intriguing team. They should possess the money and the prospects — if they're willing to part with them — to be in the hunt. Also hovering over the Red Sox's future is what to do with pending free agents Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers. Could either be packaged in a trade if the Nationals were to be interested in any extension with them?
Wild cards
Padres, Rangers, Mariners, Rays
Audacy MLB insider Jon Heyman recently floated the Padres as a possible destination for Soto. President of baseball operations A.J. Preller has shown he isn’t afraid to spend money despite being in charge of a smaller-market team, and Soto would give them a jolt in a competitive NL West. The question is would San Diego be able to pair Soto with Fernando Tatis Jr. and have a dynamic duo for years to come? Or would Tatis have to be a part of a deal?
The Rangers are another team that has spent a lot lately (Corey Seager, Marcus Siemian) and could make a run at Soto as they try to build a contender in Texas. They're rich with prospects, holding six in MLB's top 100, including right-hander Jack Leiter. The Mariners and Rays aren't necessarily big spenders, but they're competitive, small-market teams with prospects to possibly find a way into the sweepstakes.
Desperate underachievers
Blue Jays, White Sox
The Blue Jays just fired their manager and need a spark. They've shown a willingness to acquire big names recently, and it doesn’t get any bigger than Soto. Imagine their lineup with Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and George Springer. That is, if the Nationals don’t require one of Guerrero or Bichette as part of a deal.
Like the Blue Jays, the White Sox are loaded with talent but haven't played up to expectations, sitting at .500 at the All-Star break. The team doesn't have a reputation for shelling out the big bucks, which is a complicating factor, and it's hard to see the White Sox creating a package the Nationals like during the season while still competing as well.
Rebuilding team
Cubs
If Soto were to go to a non-contender, the Cubs may make the most sense. They're a big-market team that currently needs a star and face of the franchise to build around. The biggest problem might be just how much of the farm system would the Cubs deplete in order to get Soto?
Others
Astros, Phillies, Cardinals, Twins, Angels, Braves, Brewers
As mentioned before, every team should be in on Soto. The Astros would continue to be the juggernaut in the AL that they’ve been the last five years if they were to find a way to get him. The Angels pairing Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout with Soto would be must-watch television and may finally make the franchise competitive. Soto could thrive with the Cardinals or Phillies, but whether either team would have enough to get him remains in question.
No chance
Guardians, Tigers, Royals, Reds, Athletics, Marlins, Orioles, Pirates, Rockies, Diamondbacks
Every team should be in the Soto sweepstakes, but these teams probably won’t be.
Listen live to 670 The Score via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Smart Speaker