The trade of Juan Soto in the 2022 season has created a lasting impact on MLB. After the superstar outfielder’s move from the Washington Nationals to the San Diego Padres, Soto was on the move again-this time landing with the New York Yankees. So who won and who lost? While the jury’s still out on the Padres haul, one thing’s for sure, the young players the Nationals acquired in the initial deal are starting to blossom. Could the Nationals, in their pursuit of rebuilding, emerge as the biggest winners in this whole saga?
Rewinding the time, the MLB world was shaken in August 2022, when Juan Soto was traded from the Washington Nationals to the San Diego Padres. The Padres acquired not only Soto but also established first baseman Josh Bell. To get these two MLB stars, they gave up many young talents to the Nationals. This package included Luke Voit, a solid first baseman, along with highly touted prospects like shortstop CJ Abrams, pitcher MacKenzie Gore, outfielders Robert Hassell III and James Wood, and outfielder Jarlin Susana.
However, the Padres’ hold on Soto was short-lived. In December 2023, they traded him, along with outfielder Trent Grisham, to the New York Yankees. In return, the Padres received right-handed pitchers Michael King, Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez, and Drew Thorpe, along with catcher Kyle Higashioka.
This wasn’t the end of the story for Drew Thorpe. The Padres then flipped him to the Chicago White Sox as part of a five-player deal that brought ace pitcher Dylan Cease to San Diego.
So, what did the San Diego Padres benefit? They ended up with a bonafide ace in Dylan Cease and some potential contributors in the young pitchers and catcher they acquired. However, they lost a generational talent in Soto and a reliable first baseman in Josh Bell.
While Cease is a fantastic pitcher, it’s unclear if he can fully replace Soto’s offensive production. The development of the other players acquired by the Padres is also uncertain.
For the Nationals, the goal is to build for the future slowly. The young talent they received has yet to show their full potential in the MLB, but some like CJ Abrams and MacKenzie Gore have shown promise.
The Yankees, on the other hand, seem to be reaping immediate benefits. Soto has been exactly what they hoped for by putting up impressive offensive numbers.
Now, according to a recent discussion on JM Baseball, sportscaster Chris Rose and former MLB 3B, Trevor Plouffe have differing opinions on whether the Padres regret trading Juan Soto.
From the Nationals’ side, Trevor sees this as a good move for their rebuild. He’s pumped about young guys like Abrams and Gore, thinking they could be the core of future Nationals teams. Sure, losing Soto stings, but Plouffe believes the young talent lessens the blow for fans and sets them up for long-term success.
“I think it makes the trade of Juan Soto palatable for Nationals fans. At first, you see names, you don’t know how these guys are going to play out, but we’ve seen CJ Abrams at the big level kind of take that next step. McKenzie Gore has lights-out stuff and looks like he can be a front-of-the-rotation guy. Then you got James Wood coming up, so yeah, it makes it more palatable,” shared Trevor.
Chris, ever the voice of reason, isn’t so sure. He can’t ignore the incredible player they gave up in Soto. He worries about trading away a future Hall of Famer with years left under contract.
“No team had ever traded a guy in the modern era like Juan Soto—23 years old, already a world champion. You knew you were trading a Hall of Famer, and he had two and a half years left before he was becoming a free agent. Nobody with those sort of credentials and contract situation had ever been traded before,” shared Chris.
The Padres are known for their aggressive moves, and getting Soto was no different. From Padres’ POV, both Chris and Trevor agree on that. They went for broke to win a championship, even if it didn’t work out. Let’s face it, Soto was a monster while he was there, helping them reach the NLCS.
But there’s a lingering feeling of “what if” with the Padres. With huge contracts for Tatis Jr. and Machado already on the books, they might have missed their chance to keep Soto long-term. Those big deals might have tied their hands financially, forcing them to trade him before free agency.
Having said that, the burning question is whether Juan Soto will remain in New York.
Will Juan Soto Stay in the Bronx? Yankees’ Future Hangs in the Balance
Juan Soto is currently playing on a one-year, million contract he agreed to in 2024 to avoid salary arbitration with the Yankees. There haven’t been any concrete trade rumors surrounding Soto as of July 2024. However, his immense talent and future free agency status (eligible after the 2024 season) could make him a target for other teams.
The Yankees are on fire this year, and a big reason is Juan Soto. You can bet they wouldn’t even consider trading him away unless another team offered them a haul of young stars and top prospects in return. It would have to be a Godfather-level offer they couldn’t refuse.
But here’s the thing: Soto gets a say in this too. If he loves being in New York and the Yankees shower him with a massive contract that makes him filthy rich for years to come, well, then maybe he decides to stay put and chase World Series rings in pinstripes. It all depends on how much he digs New York and how much money the Yankees are willing to throw at him.
One of the possible scenarios is that the Yankees prioritize keeping Soto and offer him a contract that makes him one of the highest-paid players in baseball.
Or else, if the Yankees fall out of contention or Soto expresses a desire to play elsewhere, they could explore trading him for a significant haul of prospects or players that could help them win now.
If the Yankees and Soto can’t agree on a new contract, he’ll hit free agency after this season. That would be a huge gamble for the Yankees because they could lose him without getting anything in return.
