Juan Soto trade rumors: Yankees have had preliminary conversation with Padres about superstar, per report

The New York Yankees have had a cursory dialogue with the San Diego Padres about a trade involving All-Star outfielder Juan Soto, SNY reports. 

Regarding the important topic of San Diego’s willingness to trade the younger slugger, Andy Martino writes: 

“The strong expectation of rival executives is that Soto, 25 years old and entering his final season before free agency, would be available in ‘the right deal,’ as one non-Padres and non-Yankees exec put it. That means that San Diego is not actively shopping Soto, but is not ruling out a move, either.”

The Yankees badly want offensive assist along celebrity Aaron Judge, and so they additionally have a necessity for left-handed energy. Soto would meet each wishes after which some. In 2023, Soto, who became 25 on Wednesday, performed in all 162 video games and had a batting line of .275/.410/.519 with 35 house runs and an MLB-leading 132 walks. An elite mixture of energy and plate self-discipline, Soto for his profession owns a extremely spectacular OPS+ of 157 throughout portions of six major-league seasons. The three-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger is slated totally free company after the 2024 season. 

The Padres at the beginning got Soto in August 2022 from the Nationals as a part of an eight-player blockbuster at a price of a couple of top class potentialities. Soto joined an already star-stuffed roster in San Diego, however his first complete season with the Padres in 2023 yielded unhappiness. The Padres creaked to an 82-80 end in spite of within the face of heavy preseason expectancies. The struggles of 2023 plus their standing because the highest-payroll staff out of doors of New York figures to steered the staff to trim wage this offseason. The extent of the ones cuts, then again, is still observed. Soto in his ultimate yr of wage arbitration is poised for a considerable lift over his $23 million wage from ultimate season. 

Needless to mention, a trade for Soto would tremendously strengthen the lot of the Yankees and in addition invigorate a pissed off Yankee fan base. The Padres, even though, might in the end no longer be keen to compromise their very own 2024 hopes to such an extent. If they do make a decision to transport Soto, then the Yankees will undoubtedly have corporate in looking to land him.