Juan Soto turned down a $440 million offer from the Washington Nationals recently, prompting a wave of trade rumors. I know, it's absurd. How could anyone turn down that kind of money (I know I wouldn't)? As a result, it appears the home run derby champ is on his way out in the nation's capital.
Now, where is he likely to go? That's a great question. A lot of people will say the New York Yankees and with good reason. They're the team that acquires ALL the superstars, especially when George Steinbrenner was around. However, Aaron Judge doesn't have an extension and is having a historic year. Therefore, they're out of the equation.
However, two other teams that acquire superstars are the frontrunners. The Los Angeles Dodgers are an obvious choice; they've made waves with acquisitions of players like Max Scherzer, Trea Turner, and Manny Machado in recent years. They're also known for creating incredible prospects through their farm system. Therefore, they make perfect sense.
Ditto for the Mets. Steve Cohen has instilled a win-now mentality in Queens, making New York an ideal landing spot for Soto. The Mets are in the same situation as the Yankees regarding their superstar, Jacob DeGrom. But they can afford to let DeGrom go because of his injury history. Imagine how potent the Mets would be with Soto, Pete Alonso, Starling Marte, and Francisco Lindor. That lineup would be absolutely dangerous.
However, there's a surprise team that should make a solid running for the superstar: the Seattle Mariners. The M's have a boatload of prospects they can throw into the deal, ranging from Noelvi Marte to Harry Ford. They could even toss Jarred Kelenic in the mix if the Nats thought he was still valuable. Seattle having prospect capital gives them the advantage over the Dodgers and Mets.
Everyone also knows that Jerry Dipoto loves to swing a trade. A majority of the players he's acquired came via trades, including Mitch Haniger, Ty France, and Taylor Trammell. This, along with Seattle's deep farm system, makes them the more likely of teams to acquire Soto. Imagine an outfield with Julio Rodriguez AND Juan Soto.
Juan Soto will find a home sooner than you think. The All-Star is young and will provide star power and pizazz to whoever he goes to. This summer will have some of the hottest trade deadline action known to baseball fans.
