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There may be a possibility that the San Diego Padres, after a disappointing 2023 season marred by underperformance, decide to cut costs and recoup some sort of prospect capital in the process. One player the Padres could try and shop is Juan Soto; Soto may be the Padres' best hitter, and it's important to note that he's just 24 years of age even though he's been in the league for some time now, but he will be entering the last year of his deal in 2024, which means that it won't be long before he demands an even bigger contract than the Padres shelled out for Xander Bogaerts.
To that end, if the Padres do end up shopping Soto, which Michael Cerami of Bleacher Nation believes is a possibility, the Chicago Cubs, a team that surpassed expectations by falling just one win short of a playoff berth, may be on the lookout for a trade for the 24-year old left fielder.
“After doing a little digging, I’ve heard from multiple sources that the Cubs’ interest in Juan Soto this offseason is real. That doesn’t mean the Cubs will get a trade done – lots of teams SHOULD have real interest – but the Padres’ ability to shed payroll while adding a great return, and the fit for Chicago, are both unmistakable,” Cerami wrote.
The Cubs, back in their championship-winning 2016 season, spent $167 million in active money; when taking into account inflation, that would amount to around $213 million in today's dollars. Thus, with the Cubs spending just $134 million on their 26-man roster in 2023 ($189 million in total money, per Spotrac), there's certainly room in their payroll to absorb Juan Soto's contract and the long-term extension acquiring him would entail.
In the end, however, like Michael Cerami noted himself, this is all just speculation. The Padres, at the end of the day, may look at their underlying numbers and wonder whether another push in 2024 is warranted. And if they do end up pushing yet again for a World Series title in 2024, Soto figures to play a huge part in that.
Juan Soto's future contract extension may be daunting to think about, but such is the price of acquiring elite talent, and the Padres haven't been shy in recent years to spend anyway.
