Everyone wants Juan Soto. That doesn’t mean they can have him. But the Los Angeles Dodgers are stepping up their pursuit of the Washington Nationals star.
If the Dodgers hope to land Soto via trade, they’ll have to move quickly, as the August 2 trade deadline is fast approaching.
Yet, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Dodgers have been ramping up their effort, reportedly getting “much more aggressive” in their pursuit of Soto as of late.
The San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals are said to be the other finalists to acquire Soto, if he’s dealt by tomorrow’s deadline.
As for Soto, he can’t wait for the deadline to pass. He’s also said he’d “love” to stay with the Nationals, who lowballed him with a 15-year, $440 million contract offer. It may seem magnanimous, but he’s worth much, much more.
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Juan Soto seems destined for a deadline trade
The Nationals play the New York Mets tonight at 7:05 PM. That could very well be Soto’s last game in a Nats uniform, ending a wildly successful (for him) five-year run.
We have yet to hear exactly what type of trade package the Nats are considering, but seeing as Luis Castillo was able to bring the Cincinnati Reds three of the Mariners’ top-five organizational prospects, Soto’s trade will bring back a king’s ransom.
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo spoke last week about getting a deal done that helps them compete quicker than their current timeline presents, even if that means trading Soto to do so. Their belief is that the Soto trade can provide the spark needed to get back to contention status.
Depending on the trade return, that very well may happen, yet seeing Soto enjoy immediate success elsewhere may be tough to swallow. At least at first.
Related: Washington Nationals general manager sheds light on potential Juan Soto trade cost