The Juan Soto sweepstakes continue to unfold with the Washington Nationals confirming they are exploring offers for the superstar outfielder.
Should the Red Sox not be able to acquire Soto themselves, Boston certainly will be hoping for the best possible landing spot as it pertains to its own future. Two reports which surfaced Thursday morning, if they come to fruition, would be viewed as a positive for the Red Sox.
Most notably, the New York Post's Jon Heyman reported while there's no word the Yankees officially are out on Soto, it's clear the Bronx Bombers are not at the forefront of Washington's trade talks. Heyman listed four other teams -- San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Texas Rangers -- who are more involved with the Nationals.
Those four teams, along with the Seattle Mariners, were ranked as Heyman's top five contenders to land Soto, as shared by MLB Network. Of those five teams, two are in the American League West while three others are from the National League.
Another positive report from a Red Sox perspective was that by ESPN's Buster Olney. Olney tweeted Thursday how a number of MLB executives perceive the Padres to be the frontrunner to land Soto, backing up Heyman's report.
Of course, some Red Sox fans will indicate how neither of those reports are as good as if the Red Sox turned out to be the frontrunner to acquire the generational talent. But it's undoubtedly better than any team in the American League East -- specifically the Yankees -- being among teams in the final running. And the Yankees, along with a handful of division rivals, were included in initial speculation dating back to when Soto trade rumors started before the MLB All-Star break.
Soto landing in the National League, and perhaps with the Padres over the Dodgers, is far from the worst-case scenario for Boston.
The Yankees did, however, did add another impactful contributor in former Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi ahead of the MLB trade deadline. Benintendi arrives in New York with fellow outfielder Joey Gallo essentially being erased from the Yankees' plans.
While there's no specific timeline relating to when the Nationals would like to move Soto, it's fair to think he won't remain in Washington following the Aug. 2 trade deadline.
