Latest report suggests Padres facing same dilemma with Juan Soto as Nats did

One year after acquiring Juan Soto in a blockbuster trade, the San Diego Padres may find themselves in the same situation as the Washington Nationals.

Soto’s free agency is approaching. The longer the slugger goes without signing a long-term extension, the likelihood of him walking as a free agent increases.

Several MLB executives believe the Padres would be “foolish” not to “listen to trade offers” for Soto ahead of the August 1 trade deadline, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports.

“The Padres say they have not discussed trading Soto and have no intention to move him,” Nightengale wrote in his column. “Yet, considering that Soto is a free agent after the 2024 season, will receive close to $30 million in his final year of arbitration, and there are no indications he’d be interested in signing a contract extension with the Padres, it would be negligent not to be open to trade talks…”

The Padres have the majors’ third-highest payroll this season at $246.1 million. However, San Diego has had an underwhelming start with a 38-46 record entering Monday. They’re 11.5 games back of the NL West-leading Arizona Diamondbacks. The Padres are also eight games back of the last NL wild card.

Juan Soto is part of a loaded lineup that features Xavier Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis, Jr., and Manny Machado. Soto will be a free agent after the 2024 season. As the Nats know, Soto will command a high dollar. And that is after he is likely to make around $30 million in his final year of arbitration.

As Nightengale added, the Padres won’t get the same haul they paid to the Nats for Soto. San Diego parted away with a host of prospects, pitchers MacKenzie Gore and Jarlin Susana, outfielders, James Wood and Robert Hassell, and MLB-ready shortstop CJ Abrams for Soto last August. That does not include veteran first baseman Luke Voit, who is no longer with the Nationals.

The Padres made a surging run to the NL Championship Series before losing to the Philadelphia Phillies. But, it would take an improbable second-half run to attempt to duplicate last year’s success.

The deeper the Padres dig a hole, the more likely San Diego would at least listen to offers. But GM A.J. Preller may be faced with a tough decision. Juan Soto is just 24 and one of the premier hitters in MLB.

However, for someone that did not want to leave the Nationals in such a manner, it seems he may not want to be a Padre beyond his current contract. Thus, at some point, Preller may have to consider recouping some of the lost assets by trading Soto.