Report: Cardinals, Padres viewed as favorites for Juan Soto

The MLB trade deadline is one week away and all eyes are focused on Washington Nationals star outfielder Juan Soto. There is much debate whether or not the 23-year old will be traded before the Aug. 2 deadline. However, if he is, two teams appear to be the front-runners to acquire him.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals are viewed as the best suited to match the Nationals’ asking price. But don’t count out the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, as both teams are geared with the means to trade for Soto.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, who broke the initial report the Nationals were willing to trade Soto, later reported the Nationals want four to five top young players in return. Those players would be a combination of top prospects and MLB players with “low service time.”

Washington made Soto available after he turned down a 15-year, $440 million contract extension offer earlier this month. He’s rejected three offers since last November.

The Nationals may believe Soto won’t accept any offer, and his agent, Scott Boras, is prepared to take him into free agency when he is eligible after the 2024 season. Soto remains under team control for two more seasons through arbitration. 

Some baseball executives believe Soto won’t be dealt until the winter. Nonetheless, trading him before Aug. 2 or after the season with two more team-controlled years, the Nationals will be able to maximize his value.

Soto has one of the more impressive early résumés in baseball history. He made his MLB debut at the age of 19, cranking 22 home runs in 116 games. The following year, he hit 34 homers with 110 RBI while being a key contributor to the Nationals winning the World Series.

In 2020, he won the NL batting title during the pandemic-shortened season. Last season, he led MLB with 145 walks. This season, his numbers have slumped relative to his standards. Through 95 games, he has a career-low .248 batting average with a .895 OPS. Yet, he has 20 home runs, 45 RBI and won this year’s Home Run Derby.

It’s not often, if not ever, a player of Soto’s stature being available through trades. Thus, he is expected to snatch the biggest haul in baseball history. There aren’t many teams loaded with such potential compensation.