Juan Soto is the biggest name who could be dealt at the Major League Baseball trade deadline on Aug. 2, and nearly a half dozen teams are after the Washington Nationals star.
The latest on the rumor mill has the St. Louis Cardinals as the favorite to acquire Soto, but it seems like other teams are more afraid Soto ends up being traded to a rival team than their own. The Nationals are reportedly hoping to receive a “monster” offer for the 2022 Home Run Derby champion.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com polled 17 front-office executives about their thoughts on the Soto situation as a way to get an inside look at the way decision-makers are viewing the superstar sweepstakes. When asked, “Which three teams do you view as the favorites to trade for Soto,” the following teams received votes:
San Diego Padres, eight votes
Los Angeles Dodgers, seven votes
St. Louis Cardinals, three votes
Seattle Mariners, three votes
New York Mets, three votes
Tampa Bay Rays, three votes
New York Yankees, three votes
San Francisco Giants, two votes
Toronto Blue Jays, one vote
Milwaukee Brewers, one vote
Chicago Cubs, one vote
Texas Rangers, one vote
Boston Red Sox, one vote
Thirteen teams were named, showing where the league views the trade market for Soto.
“I would probably list ‘the field’ as the favorite,” a National League general manager told Feinsand on Monday.
An American League executive added, “With two years of full control, the move could be massive. If it’s the Yankees, they could rent (Soto) for two years and re-sign (Aaron) Judge and be pretty fearsome. Not sure they have the system to do it or enough young Major League talent to entice (the Nationals), but that would be a tremendous landing spot.”
Whether or not a team is committed to give up a huge haul to the Nationals will be the big question, but it’s safe to say the MLB trade deadline will be an eventful one.
