Not the New York Yankees?
Juan Soto, 25, turned down a $440 million extension from the Washington Nationals to join the San Diego Padres. But he'll be out of a San Diego uniform in a year and a half. If you want to make a trade, the winter is more realistic than the summer deadline, when buyers and sellers are divided. Demand is high.
In a payroll-cut era, San Diego has no reason to hold onto a big lefty who is projected to make $33 million next year. It makes sense to trade Soto before he's snatched up by another team in free agency a year from now.
Reports have been circulating that the New York Yankees are the favorites to trade Soto. However, a report on MLB.com on Jan. 1 also mentioned the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays as possible suitors.
And Bleacher Report last month predicted Soto would be traded to Seattle when it projected the opening day lineups and starting pitchers for all 30 teams in the 2024 season. Seattle will open the 2024 season with a starting lineup of J.P. Crawford (shortstop), Julio Rodriguez (center field), Soto (left field), Carl Nolan (catcher), J.D. Martinez (designated hitter), Tai Prance (first base), Jared Klinick (right field), Luis Urias (third base), and Josh Rojas (second base).
In addition to Soto, I believe free agent Martinez will find a home in Seattle. Seattle was 11th in the American League with a .242 team batting average and ninth in the American League with a .734 team OPS this season. Bleacher Report pointed out that Seattle needs to bolster its offense around Rodriguez.
Furthermore, with Teoscar Hernandez set to become a free agent, the team is in need of some heavy hitting reinforcements, and the team is expected to add Soto and Martinez. In a story on the 1st, also believed that Seattle would send right-handed prospects to San Diego in a trade.
Of course, MLB also focused on the possibility of a trade not happening between the two teams. In any case, what's certain is that Kim and Soto have parted ways, and it's highly unlikely that Soto will be visiting Seoul in a San Diego uniform at the end of March next year.
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