The San Diego Padres haven't been performing up to par so far in the 2023 MLB regular season. Despite a roster loaded with elite players, especially on offense, the Padres are way under .500 with just under two weeks remaining before the end of their schedule in the first half. Could their struggles translate into a big trade involving Juan Soto?

Via Jon Heyman of the New York Post:

“The Padres, as disappointing as the Mets, may have to consider pivoting to sell. If so, free agents to be Blake Snell and Josh Hader would be huge targets. It would be interesting to see if superstar Juan Soto could be considered for trade again. The Padres’ chances to re-sign him don’t seem especially promising.”

The Dominican star has an arbitration year left before he could hit free agency at the end of the 2025 MLB season. Given what Heyman said about the feeling that Juan Soto might not be too interested in inking an extension with San Diego, the Padres might have a big decision to make on the star ahead of the MLB trade deadline in August.

Juan Soto arrived in San Diego via a blockbuster trade in August 2022 along with Josh Bell from the Washington Nationals, who, in exchange, got MacKenzie Gore, CJ Abrams, Robert Hassell, James Wood, Jarlin Susana, and Luke Voit.

It will not be easy getting a precise read on what Juan Soto has on his mind with regard to signing an extension with the Padres or any team that successfully trades for him before the end of the current season, but what's certain is that he remains to be one of the top offensive weapons in the big leagues.