Juan Soto fought through leaked contract talks and trade rumors to win the 2022 Home Run Derby Monday night. With the Derby trophy fresh in his hands, Soto was asked about his future by ESPN’s Buster Olney. Soto deflected the question. Instead, he focused on being the champion and being a champion for the Nationals.
With the trade deadline two weeks away and reports the Nationals are entertaining trade offers for Soto, there was a murky mood hovering Soto’s presence in Los Angeles at the MLB All-Star Game.
Maybe the latest report from New York Post’s Jon Heyman may ease the tension surrounding the situation some. According to Heyman, it’s unlikely the Nationals will be able to trade Soto before the Aug. 2 deadline.
“‘Not by the deadline,” seems to be a near consensus about the viability of dealing arguably baseball’s greatest hitter and asset. One rival exec likened this to a Kevin Durant deal.”
In Durant’s situation, the Brooklyn Nets have from now to February 2023 to find an acceptable trade. The Nationals would have to get an enticing package in the next two weeks. That’s nearly impossible for a caliber of player such as Soto.
The New York Mets, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres have emerged as early leaders in the Soto sweepstakes. Such a trade would have to include a mega package of established young players and top minor league prospects. Teams aren’t going to part with that collection of assets with a longstanding negotiation period.
The most likely time frame for a potential Soto move is this winter. The offseason is when teams will be able to reassess their organization and understand what assets they’re willing to move for a generational talent.
This also gives the Nationals time to possibly present Soto with one final offer.
The Nationals are in a rebuild. They entered the All-Star break with the worst-record in MLB at 31-63. Soto is only 23 years of age with two more seasons under team control.
“Couple weeks ago they were saying they will never trade me and now all these things came out. It feels really uncomfortable. You don’t know what to trust,” Soto said Monday prior to the Derby.
Soto already helped win a World Series at age 20. At 21 he became the youngest NL batting champion ever, albeit during an abbreviated season. He is a patient, power-hitter that is a walk magnet. Now he’s the second-youngest Derby champion — by a day– and one of the top young players in the league.
If the end result is a trade, the Nationals will need to be deliberate about selecting the best return that moves them forward in their rebuilding.
In the meantime, Soto will be able to ease his mind and finish the second half of the season strong. By waiting until at least the end of the season, the Nationals fans will get an opportunity to enjoy the final months of Soto in a ‘Curly W’ uniform.
