Washington Nationals right fielder Juan Soto is set to generate a record trade return. Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Padres in 'serious talks' about Juan Soto trade

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 7/29/22

The Washington Nationals have signaled their willingness to trade Juan Soto ahead of the August 2 trade deadline. One team’s talks with the Nats have apparently heated up.

Z101 Digital’s Hector Gomez reported on Thursday that the San Diego Padres are in “serious talks” with the Nats. Gomez says their talks carried over from the night before.

SOURCE: The #Padres are in serious talks with the #Nationals for a Juan Soto trade for. Talks have intensified since last night.

— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) July 28, 2022

The Padres have been mentioned since the start as a lead contender to land Soto. They have plenty of young players to offer Washington in return. Apparently they also are not shy about the kind of contract Soto might command. Or maybe they would just be happy having Soto for two-and-a-half seasons before the 23-year-old becomes a free agent in 2025.

The Padres are 55-45 and due to get shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. back soon. A lineup featuring Tatis, Soto and Manny Machado would be quite impressive. General manager A.J. Preller recognizes that, which explains his interest in making a deal.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: