The future of Juan Soto is up in the air for the next 18 or so hours. The Washington Nationals star outfielder may be on the verge of being traded before Tuesday’s 6:00 p.m. deadline.
Monday may have been Soto’s last game in a Nationals uniform. And he didn’t disappoint putting on a show one last time for Nationals fans against the New York Mets.
Along with three walks, Soto crushed a solo home run 421 feet to deep center off former teammate and Mets ace Max Scherer in the fourth inning.
Was it Soto’s last home run as a National? If it was, it’s only fitting it was off Scherzer.
Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young winner, was the face of the Nationals franchise when he was traded before last year’s deadline to the Los Angeles Dodgers along with shortstop Trea Turner.
The trade marked the end of an era, and spearheaded the Nationals into their current rebuilding. Soto thrust into the role of the Nats cornerstone. It appeared he’d be destined to hold that label for the next decade or so. However, that label may be expiring after just one year.
Soto has rejected at least three contract extension offers from the Nationals since November. The most recent rejection occurred in July when he turned down an offer of $440 million over 15 years. That rejection sparked the Nationals to make the 23-year old available for a trade.
The last three weeks have been filled with countless trade rumors about Soto. More than a dozen teams checked in with the Nationals. But, the race for Soto has reportedly narrowed to three teams — the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
Now he waits to learn his future. If he is, his final game in a Nationals uniform was a blast.
