The MLB trade deadline is inching closer by the hour. There’s no guarantee the Washington Nationals trade Juan Soto after they failed to come to terms on a contract extension, but rumors are flying.
If the Nats are hung up on trading Soto before the August 2 trade deadline, the clock is ticking. Finding interested parties hasn’t been difficult. I’m sure nearly every team has called to inquire about the potential cost of adding one of baseball’s best, but only a few actually have the trade chips to get a deal done.
Many teams have entered, only a few remain.
Related: MLB power rankings 2022: Los Angeles Dodgers climb before MLB trade deadline
Cardinals, Dodgers, and Padres still alive in Juan Soto trade talks
Any time a big-named player becomes available, the typical entrants such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are expected to get involved. They have two of the three biggest budgets in baseball, are always looking to compete, and are currently in first place of their respective conferences.
Only, that’s not the case this time around, with the Yankees bowing out of the Soto competition.
But the Dodgers, they’re still in the running to acquire Soto before the trade deadline passes. According to Jim Bowden, the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres are the other two finalists for Soto.
Bowden notes the Cardinals are believed to be offering the best package from their major league team, whereas the Padres are presenting an impressive collection of minor league talent.
The Padres do have three prospects in the MLB top-100, with outfielder Robert Hassell III as their top-ranked player in the organization, coming in as the 21st-ranked player in the minor leagues.
Then again, the Cardinals boast five players in the MLB top-100 and some of their players, such as Matthew Liberatore, Ivan Herrera and Jordan Walker may be more pro-ready. No matter what, the Nationals are likely looking at one of the biggest trade hauls in baseball history. But that’s the cost of acquiring Soto.
Related: San Diego Padres reportedly the ‘frontrunners’ in Juan Soto trade talk: How a deal might look
Juan Soto to Cardinals a done deal?
Meanwhile, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo and Cardinals GM John Mozeliak were seen shaking hands on Sunday afternoon, leading some to think negotiations could be getting hot and heavy between these two clubs.
- Juan Soto stats in 2022: .246/.404/.479/.883, 20 HR, 45 RBI, MLB-leading 87 BB
Any team that trades for Soto would be expected to offer the young superstar quite possibly the largest contract we’ve seen yet. Soto turned down a 15-year, $440 million deal with the Nats. Who knows just how much the 23-year-old ballplayer’s looking for in his next contract.
As farfetched as it seemed from the start, a Soto trade is looking more and more likely to happen in the next few days, even though the slugger would prefer to stay with the Nationals.
Related: Juan Soto to the St. Louis Cardinals, how a trade might work