The story ahead of the August 2nd MLB Trade Deadline is just where Washington Nationals star Juan Soto will land. After turning down a $440 million extension, it feels like a foregone conclusion that he will be moved in the coming weeks. While a number of teams are interested in the two-time All-Star, including the big-hitters like the Yankees and Dodgers, there is one organization that that is seen as the most “motivated” right now: The San Diego Padres.
“The Padres are seen by rival executives as perhaps the most motivated team in the trade market, with an aggressive all-in mentality. Owner Peter Seidler has funded one of the highest payrolls in baseball, highlighted by Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., and the club has had internal discussions about pursuing some of the bigger names in free agency in the next couple of years — so presumably, they'd be ready to move prospects for Soto. Seidler has become his generation's Mike Ilitch, devoted to the idea of building a winner for his city, even if that means spending beyond the industry's expectation for his team.”
A Padres lineup with Juan Soto, Machado, and Tatis Jr? That sounds like an absolute nightmare for opposing arms on a nightly basis. A lot of trades over the last few seasons have thinned out San Diego's farm system, but they still possess some intriguing prospects that could be of interest to the Nationals.
But, there is absolutely no guarantee the Padres will win the Soto sweepstakes if a better offer comes knocking from say, the Blue Jays, Yankees, or Dodgers. Hell, even the Mets, but it feels unlikely Washington sells their franchise cornerstone to a divisional rival.
Buckle up. This is about to get very interesting.
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