MLB Twitter Bashes Mike Rizzo, Nationals for Trade Package for Juan Soto, Josh Bell
Aug 2, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 1: Washington Nationals right fielder Juan Soto (22) was all smiles after he hit a solo homer off of New York Mets starting pitcher Max Scherzer (21) in the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres pulled it off.
ESPN's Jeff Passan reported the Padres are acquiring Juan Soto and Josh Bell from the Washington Nationals.
The package going back to Washington for Juan Soto and Josh Bell, sources tell ESPN:
- LHP MacKenzie Gore - OF Robert Hassell III - SS C.J. Abrams - OF James Wood - RHP Jarlin Susana - one more major league player
That's the only holdup right now to the agreed-upon deal.
Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Eric Hosmer will be heading to Washington as well.
Depending on whether they re-sign Soto, who's due to be a free agent in 2025, the Pads might have two of MLB's brightest talents for the foreseeable future as he joins Fernando Tatis Jr. Manny Machado is performing at an MVP-type level as well.
San Diego's lineup once Tatis returns is going to be fearsome.
Dodgers: Betts, Turner, Freeman.
Padres: Soto, Tatis Jr., Machado.
If the bars are already open wherever you watch the Giants, go for it, man.
On the other side, the reaction is understandably far different.
Getting a player of equal value to Soto is almost impossible in any scenario. The fact he's under team control for two more years and still only 23 adds to the feeling that Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo whiffed.
An absolutely pathetic return for the best player in baseball. And oh yeah, have Josh Bell too! Goodnight.
Mike Rizzo was true to his word in not diluting the trade by attaching a big contract. I'm waiting to find out what the reason he diluted the deal was, though.
MacKenzie Gore and C.J. Abrams were highly touted prospects prior to making their MLB debuts. Robert Hassell III is the No. 1 player in San Diego's farm system in the eyes of MLB.com, and James Wood follows closely behind at No. 3.
Rizzo might wind up having the last laugh because it will be a few years before the full return for Washington becomes clear.
Still, fans are right to question whether continuing to employ a generational talent who's yet to hit his prime was still a better outcome than banking on an incoming crop of young players to guide the organization forward.
Juan Soto, Josh Bell Traded to Padres; Nationals to Get C.J. Abrams, More
Aug 2, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 03: Juan Soto #22 of the Washington Nationals bats against the Boston Red Sox at Nationals Park on October 03, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
The San Diego Padres acquired star right fielder Juan Soto and Josh Bell from the Washington Nationals ahead of MLB's trade deadline Tuesday.
Washington received shortstop C.J. Abrams, pitcher MacKenzie Gore, outfielder Robert Hassell III, outfielder James Wood, pitcher Jarlin Susana and first baseman/DH Luke Voit.
Eric Hosmer, who was reportedly included in the initial deal, did not waive his no-trade clause, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com:
Eric Hosmer rejected the trade to Washington and will not be part of the Soto deal, per source. Now the Padres have less than five hours to figure out what to do with Hosmer, who is owed $39 million from 2023-25.
Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times had previously reported Hosmer was "not thrilled" about being traded to the Nationals, which meant the Padres would have needed to offer additional incentive to get him to waive his no-trade clause:
Hearing #Padres 1B Eric Hosmer is not thrilled about being traded to #Nationals, so it will likely take a chunk of money or maybe an additional year added to his already onerous 8-year, $144-million deal (3 years, $39 million left, through 2025) to get him to sign off on deal.
With the Nationals experiencing a rather rapid fall following their 2019 World Series triumph, Soto's contract status became the biggest storyline for the team. The two-time All-Star is due to hit free agency in 2025, and he could be the first player in MLB history to sign a $500 million contract.
Washington lost Bryce Harper to free agency and traded Trea Turner to the Los Angeles Dodgers before he could hit the open market. Because Soto is so good and so young, the prevailing wisdom was that the Nats simply couldn't let him get away.
That changed on July 16, when The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported the 23-year-old was being made available in a trade. Per Rosenthal, Washington took the step after Soto declined a 15-year, $440 million offer.
While that would've been the largest contract ever in MLB in terms of overall value, Soto's $29.3 million salary would've been lower than the average earnings for Mike Trout ($35.5 million), Gerrit Cole ($36 million), Francisco Lindor ($34.1 million), Corey Seager ($32.5 million) and Mookie Betts ($30.4 million) among a few others.
Soto wouldn't have even become the highest-paid player on the Nationals since Stephen Strasburg's seven-year contract pays him $35 million each year through 2026.
Rosenthal's report brought a mix of resignation and indignation in the nation's capital.
Juan Soto should go down as an Alex Ovechkin-like figure in D.C., one of the greatest athletes in the cityās history. You donāt let generational talents like him go.
IMO, Nats are paying the price (literally?) for losing their competitiveness. They have nothing to offer Soto except hope. No stars around him, a shaky pitching staff and big divisional spenders offer no guarantees of wins in the future.
One justification for moving Soto immediately is that the Nationals could at least maximize their return.
The Cleveland Guardians and Boston Red Sox had to accept well below equal value in return for Lindor and Betts, respectively, because they each had only one more year of team control. Soto is guaranteed to be a member of San Diego's roster for at least two-plus seasons, and that extra year can be beneficial in terms of buying more time to hammer out an extension.
This almost represented uncharted territory.
Front offices are already having the conversations: What is it going to take to acquire Juan Soto in the wake of him turning down a 15-year, $440 million contract offer from the Nationals? And the answer is: The biggest trade package ever. āA Herschel Walker deal,ā one GM said.
Yet as much as this helps Washington's rebuild, simply re-signing Soto probably would've helped more. It also would've cemented a lot of goodwill with the fans, who have even less reason to continue following the team during such a fallow period.
For San Diego, there almost wasn't a price too high to make this trade happen.
For his career, Soto boasts a .291/.427/.538 slash line along with a .966 OPS and a 158 OPS+, per Baseball Reference. Here are the five players closest in similarity score to Soto through his age-22 season: Mike Trout, Frank Robinson, Bryce Harper, Miguel Cabrera and Mickey Mantle.
Soto tore the cover off the ball as a rookie, slugging .517 and hitting 22 home runs in 2018, and he hasn't stopped since. There's no reason to think that won't continue.
Trout is the prime example of how one player can raise his team's ceiling only so high. This acquisition doesn't single-handedly make the Padres the favorites to win the World Series.
But you can't blame San Diego fans for getting a bit ahead of themselves when they forecast how the franchise will perform with Soto in the fold.
The Padres are potentially looking at having their three best players under contract through at least 2028, too. That assumes Soto re-signs and Manny Machado doesn't opt out of his 10-year, $300 million contract.
For decades, the Padres were arguably one of the most anonymous teams in MLB. They weren't consistent winners, nor were they notable for their futility.
Nate Colbert is the franchise leader in home runs, and Eric Show has more wins than any other pitcher in team history. Only two players have gone into the Hall of Fame with the Padres as their primary team: Tony Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman.
However, San Diego has made a concerted effort to turn its reputation around. Signing Hosmer in 2018 hasn't really worked out, but it signaled a new era in which the Padres would be willing to spend on readymade talent. Machado arrived one year later, and then came Fernando Tatis Jr.'s 14-year, $340 million extension.
Trading for Soto is in line with the approach of general manager A.J. Preller, and it sets up San Diego with potentially having the best young combination of hitters in MLB.
Juan Soto Trade Rumors: Padres Near Deal for Nats Star Amid Dodgers, Cardinals Buzz
Aug 2, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 1: Washington Nationals right fielder Juan Soto (22) was all smiles after he hit a solo homer off of New York Mets starting pitcher Max Scherzer (21) in the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
It's looking increasingly like Juan Soto has played his last game for the Washington Nationals.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reported that the Padres are "getting close" to acquiring Soto:
The San Diego #Padres are getting close to landing Juan Soto from the Washington #Nationals. The deal is not yet finalized.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com added that the belief is the Padres are gaining momentum for a deal:
Executives around the league believe the momentum for Soto to the Padres is gaining steam. However, letās not forget the exact same scenario happened last year with San Diego and Max Scherzer. Still, many believe that Soto will be a Padre by the end of the day.
Those reports come after MLB Insider Hector Gomez reported the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals will increase their offers for Soto amid buzz the Padres had emerged as a front-runner.
Soto, who by any measure is one of the five best players in baseball, has become the crown jewel of this trade deadline after contract extension negotiations with the Nationals broke down. Washington reportedly offered a 15-year, $440 million contract, a deal Soto rejected as he attempts to sign perhaps the richest contract in sports history.
The 23-year-old is in the midst of a down season, hitting .246/.408/.485 with 21 home runs and 46 runs batted in. Despite posting by far the worst batting average of his career, Soto remains MLB's most patient hitter and is on pace to hit 30-plus home runs for the first time since 2019.
The Dodgers, Cardinals and Padres all fashion themselves as World Series contenders. San Diego and Los Angeles are no strangers to deadline battles down to the wire, with the Dodgers outbidding the Padres for Max Scherzer at the 2021 deadline.
It's likely the Nationals will take the discussions right down to the 6 p.m. ET deadline, forcing teams to put their best offers on the table as they try to land a generational talent.
The Dodgers have the unlimited financial wherewithal to make Soto a massive long-term contract offer, whereas it's possible the smaller-market Padres and Cardinals view him as a shorter-term difference marker. Soto can become a free agent after the 2024 season.
Nats' Juan Soto on Trade Rumors: 'I'm Just Another Player, Another Employee Here'
Aug 2, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 1: Washington Nationals right fielder Juan Soto (22) was all smiles after he hit a solo homer off of New York Mets starting pitcher Max Scherzer (21) in the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Washington Nationals superstar Juan
Soto addressed his feelings concerning the flurry of rumors about his future
ahead of Tuesday's MLB trade deadline.
Soto homered in Monday night's 7-3 loss
to the New York Mets in what could end up being his final game with
the Nats.
"I feel good where I'm at," Soto
told reporters. "I understand it's a business, and they need to
do whatever they need to do. I'm just another player, another
employee here like [former teammate Ryan Zimmerman] used to say."
He also thanked the fans for their
strong support throughout the night at Nationals Park.
"It means a lot," Soto said. "It
kind of feels weird, too, because nothing's happened yet. We're still
waiting. It's kind of cool at the same time, but it's kind of weird,
too."
Soto, 23, is the one player available on the
trade market who could cause a monumental shift in the World Series
outlook if he's dealt before 6 p.m. ET.
The two-time All-Star owns a career
.291/.427/.538 slash line with 119 homers and 38 stolen bases across
565 appearances with Washington.
While his .894 OPS this season is on
pace to set a new career-low, it's important to factor in the lack of
protection in the Nats' lineup. His 91 walks are an astonishing 31
more than anybody else in baseball (Los Angeles Dodgers' Max
Muncy, 60).
If Soto moves to a high-end contender
where opposing pitchers won't have nearly as much leeway to pitch
around him, his numbers could explode down the stretch.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post
reported Monday the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and St.
Louis Cardinals are all still involved in discussions with the
Nationals.
Adding Soto to a Dodgers lineup that
already ranks second in MLB with 534 runs scored would be borderline
unfair, and it'd make L.A. the clear World Series favorite.
Going to either the Padres or Cardinals
would move those teams into the upper echelon alongside the Dodgers,
New York Yankees, Houston Astros, New York Mets and Atlanta Braves.
The situation has reached this point
because the two-time Silver Slugger Award winner has shown no
interest in signing a long-term extension with the Nationals.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported
Soto turned down a 15-year, $440 million proposal in mid-July, which
led Washington to begin considering trade offers.
The Dominican Republic native still has
two more years of club control via arbitration and can't become a
free agent until after the 2024 season, per Spotrac. So there isn't imminent time
pressure if the Nats don't get the type of package they want before the deadline.
Even the mere idea he could be on the
move makes for one of the biggest deadline stories in years, though.
Juan Soto Trade Rumors: Dodgers, Padres, Cardinals Have Improved Offers to Nationals
Aug 2, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 31: Juan Soto #22 of the Washington Nationals reacts after being called out on strikes in the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Nationals Park on July 31, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Teams looking to acquire Washington Nationals star Juan Soto ahead of Tuesday's deadline have one more day to up the ante, and the three presumed finalists reportedly did just that.
According to Jim Bowden of CBS Sports, the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres "all improved their offers to the Nationals" even though Tuesday will likely be the time "we're going to find out what team really wants him the most."
Bowden suggested it may take throwing in an additional prospect who has not been included in trade offers to this point.
Yet there may be a backup option in place for at least the National League West teams considering Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the "Dodgers have looked at Ian Happ, though, as with the Padres, that seems like a backup plan to Soto."
Happ, who is a member of the Chicago Cubs, was a first-time All-Star this season.
Still, ever since Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported last month that Soto rejected a 15-year, $440 million contract extension from the Nationals, he has been the focal point of the entire trade deadline.
After all, it's not often a 23-year-old star with the chance to be one of the faces of the league for more than a decade with a contract that keeps him under team control for two more seasons beyond the current one becomes available, but that is the situation here.
The Dodgers landing Soto would further solidify their spot as the National League favorites.
They're 68-33 with a lineup that includes Mookie Betts, Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman. Six of their players were All-Stars this year, and they have been in three of the last five World Series.
San Diego is the Dodgers' most serious threat in the NL West, even if there is a 12-game gap separating them in the standings. There is enough talent in place to at least challenge Los Angeles in a playoff series, and that disparity may have shrunk some Monday when the Padres landed closer Josh Hader in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Trading for Soto could help further reduce that gap and ensure he isn't on the other side of the rivalry.
St. Louis has an opportunity to challenge the Brewers in the NL Central, and landing Soto the day after a Milwaukee team with a three-game cushion in the race traded Hader would be quite the one-two punch.
Whether that is enough for the Cardinals to give up an extra prospect or two remains to be seen, but a lineup with Soto, Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado would be quite formidable.
Juan Soto Rumors: MLB Insiders Believe Trade Gets Done; Padres Seen as Dream Partner
Aug 1, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 31: Juan Soto #22 of the Washington Nationals fouls during the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Sunday, July 31, 2022 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
People in the industry believe the Washington Nationals will trade outfielder Juan Soto before Tuesday's deadline, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.
Though the Nationals could hold onto the superstar and deal him in the offseason, Passan argued the top trade contendersāSan Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgersācould offer less with one fewer year under team control.
The Padres could be most likely landing spot for Soto. Opposing teams see the squad as a "dream trading partner due to the overflowing talent of their top prospects," according to Passan.
Catcher Luis Campusano and outfielders Robert Hassell III and James Wood are all among MLB.com's top 100 prospects. They're part of a deep Padres farm system that also includes talented shortstop Jackson Merrill.
Other young players have already reached the majors, including MacKenzie Gore and C.J. Abrams.
Those prospects could help headline a package to land Soto, a 23-year-old who already has two All-Star selections and a batting title on his resume. The right fielder finished second in MVP voting last year and currently has 20 home runs with an .878 OPS this season.
Considering Soto already helped the Nationals win a World Series in 2019, there is no question why so many contenders want to add him this season.
The Padres could be especially desperate to complete a deal as they seek their first World Series title in franchise history. The squad has reached the playoffs only once since 2006, and that came in the shortened 2020 campaign.
San Diego entered Monday trailing the Dodgers by 12 games in the NL West race, but it is currently in position for one of the three wild-card spots.
Adding Soto to a lineup that could also feature Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. would make the Padres extremely dangerous in the postseason.
Shohei Ohtani vs. Juan Soto: Who Has More Trade Value Ahead of MLB Deadline?
Zachary D. Rymer
Aug 1, 2022
DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 12: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels reacts during the 2021 T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
With Major League Baseball's Aug. 2 trade deadline now just a day away, it's doubtful that the best hitter in the sport today and the best two-way player in its history will both be on the move.
But since there's also a non-zero chance of this happening, we can't help but ask: Which one would be the more valuable addition for a contender?
Before we get to that, let's grant that there's a higher likelihood of the Washington Nationals trading wunderkind hitter Juan Soto than there is of the Los Angeles Angels dealing slugger/ace Shohei Ohtani.
As ESPN's Jeff Passan said on the Dan Patrick Show on Friday, there's maybe an "80-20" chance of the 23-year-old Soto getting dealt:
"If he [Mike Rizzo] continues to stick to the ask that he's put out to teams up until this point, I'm not sure Juan Soto is going anywhere. He's been asking for 125% of Juan Soto's value."
As for Ohtani, Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported Thursday that a trade is "seen as very unlikely." And yet the Angels aren't hanging up on teams that call about the 2021 American League MVP.
Editors Note: on Monday afternoon, Heyman reported that Angels owner Arte Moreno is "unwilling" to trade Ohtani.
What seems certain either way is that a single team can't possibly trade for both Soto and Ohtani. It's surely a one-or-the-other situation, so let's take a look at exactly what a trade for either of them would entail and try to determine who would be the better get.
Acquisition Cost
Washington Nationals right fielder Juan Soto prepares for an at-bat during a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Friday, July 29, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
There's been talk of the Nationals potentially packaging Soto with fallen ace Patrick Corbin as a means to rid themselves of the $59 million the latter is owed in 2023-24. However, general manager Mike Rizzo has shot that down.
Rather, what the Nationals want for Soto is what any rebuilding team tends to want for an established star: young, controllable talent.
As Passan told Patrick, Rizzo has been asking other teams for "five or six tippy-top prospects." Passan thinks that represents "125 percent" of Soto's value, which would put his 100-percent value within the range reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic on July 23:
As I said on @FS1, multiple clubs saying Natsā ask for Soto is 4 to 5 top youngsters, combo of prospects and major leaguers with low service time. Ten days from deadline, Nats arenāt negotiating, one exec says. A team either shows willingness to meet price, or Nats move on.
The price for Ohtani, meanwhile, may be eminently similar.
Upon initially reporting on Ohtani's potential availability on July 24, Rosenthal suggested that the Angels would only move him for "established major leaguers." Yet Heyman and Sherman heard otherwise from an executive who put the club's ask for Ohtani at "something like your top four prospects.ā
These asking prices are huge but not necessarily outrageous in context. The Cincinnati Reds turned a year-and-a-half of ace right-hander Luis Castillo into a four-player package that included three of the Seattle Mariners' five best prospects.
The Nationals and Angels are thus well within their rights to ask teams inquiring about Soto and Ohtani for at least their four best prospects. Even if one could perhaps be had for less than the other, there simply are no bargains in that price range.
Advantage: Push
Age and Controllability
Soto doesn't turn 24 until Oct. 25, and his club control runs through 2024. Ohtani turned 28 on July 5, and he's slated to become a free agent after 2023.
Put another way: a trade for Ohtani would return a star who's likely near the end of his prime for one-and-a-half years, whereas one for Soto would return a star who's in the thick of his prime for two-and-a-half years.
Advantage: Soto
Salary Requirements
After he began salary arbitration as a Super Two player in 2021, Soto settled with the Nationals on a $17.1 million salary for 2022 in March, doubling up on the $8.5 million he earned in the previous season.
Therefore, Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci's "back-of-the-envelope" calculation that Soto will make $55 million between 2023 and 2024 sounds about right.
That is unless he signs a contract extension instead. The price to beat there is $440 million, which is what he would have earned over 15 years if he had accepted Washington's most recent offer.
As for Ohtani, he's earning $5.5 million in the second year of a two-year, $8.5 million contract that he and the Angels agreed to ahead of the '21 campaign. Whatever he makes in his final year of arbitration in 2023 will surely be well short of $55 million.
To boot, Ohtani's first big contract might not even sniff $440 million.
As Heyman reported in June, one rival executive set the market rate for Ohtani at $200 million over four years. The average annual salary of $50 million would blow away Max Scherzer's record of $43.3 million, but it's best to think of it not as $50 million for one player but rather as $25 million for two players.
Advantage: Ohtani
On-Field Impact
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JULY 31: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels celebrates in the dugout after scoring a run in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on July 31, 2022 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
With Soto, you're getting a great hitter and not much else. It's a good thing, then, that he's such a great hitter that the oft-heard comparisons to Ted Williams aren't hyperbolic.
Indeed, Soto and Williams are the only two hitters in history to have racked up more than 100 home runs and an on-base percentage north of .425 through their age-23 seasons.
Soto also stands alone among his contemporaries. He's the only hitter that has topped a .400 OBP in each of the last five seasons, notably leading the majors in both 2020 (.490) and 2021 (.465). He was cool to begin this season but busted his slump with a .315/.495/.616 slash line in July.
In terms of total value since the start of last season, though, even Soto is no Ohtani:
This doesn't speak to any kind of problem with Soto's bat, but rather to just how exceptional Ohtani is with both his bat and his arm.
Even setting aside his 68 home runs, the most telling thing about Ohtani's hitting over the last two seasons is that his 150 OPS+ is fifth-best among batters who've taken over 1,000 plate appearances. He hasn't been that much worse off as a pitcher, where his 141 ERA+ ranks 11th among hurlers who've made at least 40 starts.
From here, we can get into how Ohtani is capable of hitting the ball at 119 mph and throwing it at 101 mph. Oh, and also that his 37 stolen bases over the last two seasons match the total that Soto has for his five-year career.
Advantage: Ohtani
Clutch Gene
Only one person in this two-person Battle Royale has any postseason experience, and what he did with that experience can be neither ignored nor downplayed.
Soto was only 20 years old when the Nationals began their run to the franchise's first World Series championship in 2019, but he looked like he had been there and done that many times over. Over 17 games, he put up a .927 OPS and hit five home runs.
Beyond merely being productive, Soto was also extraordinarily clutch. And he was a true dragon-slayer in the process, as his seven biggest hits were against Clayton Kershaw, Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, Hyun Jin Ryu, Josh Hader and Roberto Osuna. Those six guys have five Cy Young Awards and 29 All-Star appearances between them.
Still, this was three years ago, and Soto is generally more of a capable clutch hitter than a dangerous one. For his career, he has a .996 OPS in low leverage compared to a .940 OPS in high leverage.
No matter which side of the ball you're looking at, Ohtani has been nothing short of the best in high leverage over the last two seasons:
Even as impressive as Ohtani's knack for big hits may be, it's really his knack for stifling big hits that stands out. Aided in part by a fastball that he dials up to 97.4 mph with runners in scoring position, Ohtani has been a premier jam-escaper to the tune of the fourth-best strand rate of any qualified starter over the last two seasons.
Arguably none of this is a substitute for actual postseason experience, but it's a good sign that Ohtani could be just as impactful as Soto was in 2019 if he finally gets his shot at October.
Advantage: Push
Injury Risk
There is a catch to Ohtani's two-way brillianceāor, perhaps more accurately, an ever-lingering question: How much longer will his body allow him to do this?
He's already had several injury scares, including ankle surgery in 2017 and Tommy John surgery in 2018. His return to the mound after the latter was short-lived, as he made just two starts in 2020 before the Angels shut him down from pitching because of a flexor pronator mass in his arm.
There's also the sheer frequency at which Ohtani is exposed to the injuries. Between his plate appearances as a hitter and the batters he's faced as a pitcher, he's been involved in 1,996 batter-pitcher matchups over the last two seasons.
The next-closest player in this regard is Miami Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara, who's been a part of just 1,475 batter-pitcher matchups: 1,411 as a pitcher and 64 as a hitter.
Soto, meanwhile, has played in 564 of 607 possible games since he debuted with the Nationals on May 20, 2018. Not counting the time he missed after a positive COVID test in 2020, the only injuries he's had were minor back and shoulder ailments in 2019 and 2021, respectively.
Advantage: Soto
Our Verdict
DENVER, COLORADO - JULY 12:Juan Soto #22 of the Washington Nationals high-fives Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels during the 2021 T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Coors Field on July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
This section would look a lot different if the question was whether Soto or Ohtani would be the best player to build a franchise around. The focus there would be on the long-term, which would make it hard not to lean toward the modern-day Ted Williams.
But since the debate here is more about who would be most helpful to a contender right now, we'll cast our vote for Ohtani.
Despite his downsides, his dual appeal as a relatively affordable and utterly peerless player is simply too great. He's arguably one of the 10 best hitters and 10 best pitchers today. To have a guy like that would be a huge leg up for even one postseason run, much less two.
Of course, the flip side is that we wouldn't dare trade Ohtani if he was already in our possession.
This seems to be Moreno's thinking as well. Even before Monday's report from Heyman, it seemed nobody reporting on the Ohtani trade sweepstakes actually expected the Angels owner to green-light a deal, with R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports hearing from one talent evaluator that Angels GM Perry Minasian "might be signing his own pink slip" if he so much as presented trade concepts to his boss.
As such, any choice between Ohtani and Soto only exists in theory. In reality, it's Soto or bust.
Yankees Rumors: Juan Soto Trade Talks with Nationals Have 'No Traction'
Aug 1, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 31: Juan Soto #22 of the Washington Nationals fouls during the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Sunday, July 31, 2022 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
It doesn't look like Juan Soto will become a member of the New York Yankees before Tuesday's trade deadline.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the Bronx Bombers checked in with the Washington Nationals on Sunday, but "there's no traction on talks regarding Soto." While the Yankees apparently "love" the superstar, Washington sees Yankees prospect Anthony Volpe "as a very good major-leaguer, not the star others do."
That seems to suggest the two sides will not come to terms on an agreement.
It doesn't come as much of a surprise that the Yankees seem to be out as a candidate for Soto, considering MLB insider Jim Bowden reported the San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers are the finalists for the Nationals star.
ESPN's Buster Olney reported on Thursday that some executives around the league believe the Padres are the frontrunner.
All the trade talk seems to be weighing on the outfielder to a degree. He told reporters, "I just want to get it over with and see what's going to happen. I mean, just go over that day and start over here or wherever I'm at."
In the first eight games after the All-Star Game, Soto had just five hits in 26 at-bats. It was a far cry from the usual production of the 23-year-old, who already has a World Series crown, a batting title, two Silver Sluggers and two All-Star selections on his resume.
From New York's perspective, trading for Soto could solve two concerns at once. Not only would it add one of the best players in the league as it pursues a championship, but he could also be a long-term replacement for Aaron Judge as a slugger in the middle of the lineup.
Judge is a free agent after this season, and he and the Yankees have yet to come to terms on a new deal.
However, Washington doesn't seem to believe in Volpe's ceiling enough as New York's top prospect on MLB.com's prospect rankings.
Volpe is slashing .253/.350/.473 with 15 home runs, 49 RBI and 37 stolen bases in Double-A this season and could be the centerpiece of a trade at some point, even though that deal reportedly won't be for Soto.
Nationals' Juan Soto on MLB Trade Deadline Rumors: 'I Just Want to Get it Over With'
Jul 31, 2022
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 27: Juan Soto #22 of the Washington Nationals reacts while as he is walked against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium on July 27, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
Washington Nationals star Juan Soto is counting down the hours until the 2022 MLB trade deadline passes at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
"I just want to get it over with and see what's going to happen," he said Sunday following his team's 5-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, per MLB.com's Jessica Camerato. "I mean, just go over that day and start over here or wherever I'm at."
On July 16, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Soto turned down a 15-year, $440 million contract offer from the Nationals. As a result, Washington was willing to seriously entertain trade offers for the two-time All-Star.
From that moment on, Soto's future has been the hottest topic across baseball. It isn't every day a 23-year-old on a Hall of Fame trajectory hits the trade market.
There's also a sense of inevitability about his possible departure from Washington.
ESPN's Jeff Passan put the odds of a deal at 80 percent when asked Friday about the situation on the Dan Patrick Show. Passan added, however, that the Nationals' high asking price was turning suitors away from making a final agreement:
"If he [Mike Rizzo] continues to stick to the ask that he's put out to teams up until this point, I'm not sure Juan Soto is going anywhere. He's been asking for 125% of Juan Soto's value."
General manager Mike Rizzo acknowledged Wednesday the Nats had discussed a Soto trade with teams around the league without stating definitively whether the player will stay or go, per Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post.
"I will say this: We're going to have to get the deal that we want that makes the most sense that gets us an opportunity to become a championship organization than not trading him," he told reporters. "That's it in a nutshell."
If Soto remains in Washington after the trade deadline expires, then he'll at least know he isn't going anywhere until the winter. But it will probably provide little reprieve in terms of halting any speculation.
The Nationals have the worst record in MLB at 35-68. There isn't much else to talk about regarding the 2019 World Series champions aside from whether they'll move their franchise cornerstone.
And the discourse will only accelerate once the trading window opens again after the 2022 season.
At this point, you wouldn't blame Soto for wanting to wind up on a different team by Tuesday, if only because he could put this matter to bed.
Juan Soto Trade Rumors: Dodgers, Padres, Cardinals Seen as Finalists for Nationals OF
Jul 31, 2022
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 30: Juan Soto #22 of the Washington Nationals talks to teammates before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Nationals Park on July 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
The MLB trade deadline is fast approaching, and the sweepstakes for Washington Nationals star Juan Soto is reportedly heating up.
According to MLB insider Jim Bowden, the three teams considered finalists to land Soto are the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals. Teams have until 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday to get a deal done.
Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Texas Rangers had been among the teams pursuing Soto, but it appears they are longer in the running.
Bowden added that the Cardinals are offering the most talent from their major league roster, while the Padres are offering the most talent from their farm system. The Nationals are believed to be seeking a substantial package of young prospects in exchange for Soto.
ESPN's Buster Olney reported Thursday that San Diego was perceived to be the front-runner to acquire the 23-year-old slugger. The Padres have a strong selection of young players to include in trade offers, including their top two prospects, center fielder Robert Hassell III and catcher Luis Campusano.
The Dodgers and Cardinals also have highly touted youngsters they can build trade packages around, but it remains to be seen if they have enough to entice the Nationals to part ways with Soto, who has been in a slump amid the ongoing rumors.
The two-time All-Star is batting .246 with 20 home runs and 45 RBI entering Sunday. Since returning from the All-Star break, Soto has just five hits in 35 plate appearances.
Despite his recent struggles, Soto is one of the best young players in the majors and will turn whichever team he lands with into an instant contender to represent the National League in the World Series.
