With the Washington Nationals embarked on a rebuild, the top priorities have been the potential sale of the team, the development of the farm system and the contract future of 23-year old superstar Juan Soto.
This week MLB insider Hector Gomez reported contract talks have intensified between the Nats and Soto with the club making an extension offer of $425 million over 13 years. That figure was disputed by multiple local writers. However, Washington Post’s Jesse Dougherty reported Soto turned down another massive offer sometime in May that exceeded the team’s previous offer of $350 million over 13 years last winter.
Soto, himself, gave some insight on his contract speaking with Dougherty on Friday.
“We’re going back and forth, and I feel good about that,” Soto said. “They are talking to my agent, and I have nothing to do with it. He is just talking to them, and I want to play baseball.”
Soto revealed while others prefer to test free agency, he might be comfortable preferring to stay in the ‘Curly W’ long-term.
“Everybody wants to go to free agency and see how the market is going to be for them,” Soto added. “But for me, I really don’t know if I want to go there or if I want to stay here. I feel really good here. We’ll see what’s going to happen. For me, right now, the plan that we always have is go year by year. But you don’t know what the future has for you.”
Soto’s agent, Scott Boras, has a history of taking his players to free agency. The Nationals know all too well. Bryce Harper left the Nats to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2019. Anthony Rendon, then followed in 2020, signing with the Los Angeles Angels. Both are clients of Boras.
Soto hit his 15th home run of the season Saturday in the Nationals’ 5-3 loss to the Miami Marlins. He also leads MLB with 64 walks. He’s the only player this season with at least 15 home runs and 50 walks. However, he is in the midst of a down year compared to his standards.
Through 78 games, Soto is hitting a career-low .226 with a .827 OPS. Yet, Soto refuses to attribute his struggles to the contract saga.
“I mean … we’re human. It’s going to be a little bit on your mind,” Soto said. “But it’s not the reason I’m struggling at all.”
Despite the down year, it’s no question Soto is one of the better hitters in baseball. Also he’s among the young top names considered to be the face of MLB. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo insists the club is not trading Soto and they want to get a deal done.
The Nationals faithful is hoping a new deal gets secured sooner rather than later.
