If the Juan Soto speculation was nothing but conjecture, then it has caused quite the headache for the Washington Nationals.
With the Nats struggling out of the gate and heading for yet another missed postseason, ESPN’s Buster Olney said earlier this month that some rival executives think that there is a chance Soto could be traded. Meanwhile, the Nationals are up for sale and trying to figure out what direction to take their team roster-wise.
The news caused a stir, but most of the messaging in response from all camps is that Soto – who is under team control through the 2024 season – isn’t going anywhere. And, according to Audacy MLB Insider Jon Heyman, teams bidding for the Nats want Soto in Washington, and that opposing teams are being told he’s staying.
“I’m hearing from people around baseball that Nats people have told people Soto will not be traded,” Heyman said on his podcast “The Show” with New York Post colleague Joel Sherman. “That’s what they’re saying, so don’t hold me to it, but I know that is what they are saying.
“We know the Nats are for sale, I know you mentioned a caveat on this show last week or the week before that potentially there could be an owner who wanted a clean slate and wanted his own team. I have heard that there are many bidders, they’re going to do very well, they are going to sell the team, and every bidder to a man to this point has said they want Soto on the team. Could have gone the other way, I understand, I think your point was a valid one at the time, but my understanding is they have told people Soto is staying.”
Soto is on his way to becoming one of the greatest hitters of his generation, and is worth millions to the Nationals. Especially as they rebuild, he is hugely important to the organization, and trading him would be a stunning baseball and business move.
Never say never, but this seems like yet another reminder that Washington trading Soto, at least right now, seems incredibly far-fetched.
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