It always seemed like it could be a possibility, and yet, it also felt like there should never be a chance of it happening.
But it has reportedly become an astonishing reality that the Nationals will hear trade offers for superstar outfielder Juan Soto, as The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported on Saturday.
This outcome seemed possible given the club's previous extension offers and Soto's desire to win, but seemed so farfetched regardless of the state of the franchise or the potential ownership change, because how could any team trade a star like Soto before he has even entered his true prime?
Regardless of the reasoning, it suddenly appears plausible that the Nationals could do the unthinkable, and immediately in New York, Yankees and Mets fans begin to dream. Could Soto, one of the best players in all of baseball at just 23 years old, be heading to their team to be the next franchise superstar?
Then there is the accompanying restraint by other corners of the fanbase, concerned about the sky-high price it would take in terms of prospects to acquire Soto, who isn't a free agent until 2025.
Neither the Yankees or Mets front offices should be feeling a shred of that restraint.
Anthony Volpe, Oswald Peraza, Francisco Alvarez, you name the prospect, and they should be on the table to nab Soto. Without hesitation. Regardless of future outlook or how much the franchise values that talent.
A prospect like Alvarez may already be showing how close he is to being a big-league contributor, and a Volpe may have been considered untouchable in any previous trade negotiations, or used as justification for making Isiah Kiner-Falefa the 2022 shortstop instead of going after a bigger fish in free agency. None of those previous plans or strategies should matter when it comes to Soto. All bets are off.
Why? Because Soto is already higher than the ceiling of any of those prospects previously listed. Soto's production through his first five seasons would be labeled as shattering the highest of expectations for any one of those prospects. He is a homegrown gold mine that Washington could be open to parting with, meaning any homegrown product for the Yankees or Mets should be up for grabs. Sure, it will likely be tougher for the Mets to get a deal done as Washington's division rival, but if they have a window, no prospect in the system should lead to that window being slammed shut.
As for the Yankees, an Aaron Judge extension could be the justification for not being able to afford Soto, though the team has plenty enough to get it done. It would just come down to a willingness to surpass the luxury tax. But again, for the trade itself, Volpe or Peraza have to be on the table, without question.
Both franchises have prospects near the top of the ranks to help put together a deal, and both easily have a financial capability of signing Soto to the type of massive contract extension that he would command. The $440 million the Nationals offered seems astronomical, until the AAV south of $30 million is taken into account. The Yankees, the most valuable franchise in baseball, or Steve Cohen, the richest owner in baseball, could make that happen, and give Soto a team that is built to win in the short-term.
Regardless of the prospects that the Yanks or Mets have, it shouldn't be enough to equal the value of Soto. He is already a batting champ, a two-time Silver Slugger, a World Series champion, and is just approaching his mid-twenties. He is putting up numbers in his early years that have only been seen by the likes of Ted Williams. Name the top prospect in baseball, the highest of ceilings, and Soto is already a sure thing to eclipse that, with a decade of prime years remaining.
Many get attached to prospects because of the thrill of imagination of what they could become. There is often not enough attention to what they can wind up leaving to be desired. Soto is a once-in-a-generation talent that teams like the Yankees and Mets should be prepared to unload the farm for if a trade was possible.
Because a player like Soto on the trading block at all should be impossible.
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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