Juan Soto not ready to commit to Washington Nationals just yet

It has not taken long for Juan Soto to establish himself as one of the exciting young players in the game. Since bursting onto the scene as a 19 year old rookie in 2018, the Washington Nationals outfielder has proven to be one of the better players in the game, an extraordinary talent that few can match.

As such, it is not a surprise that the Nationals want to keep Soto around for the long term. However, according to Scott Boras, Soto wants proof that the Nationals want to win before considering an extension to stay in Washington.

Washington Nationals need to prove themselves to Juan Soto

The idea that the Nationals would need to prove themselves to Soto is a bit strange on the surface. They did win the World Series in 2019, his second year in the majors. However, the Nationals have also finished last in the NL East over the past two seasons, and were just two games over .500 during his rookie campaign.

Soto has certainly done his part. He has produced a .301/.432/.550 batting line in his 2003 career plate appearances, hitting 98 homers and 91 doubles while stealing 32 bases. At just 23 years old, Soto could end up as one of the greats of the game if he continues on his current trajectory.

That makes this offseason all the more important. While the Nationals have three years of team control left, they certainly do not want to wait until the last minute to lock Soto in to a long term deal. They need to prove as soon as possible that they will be looking to compete.

Even if the Nationals do not make the postseason in 2022, they have to set up the framework for a contending franchise. Some of those pieces would appear to be on the roster already, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Soto, for one, will be watching to see what the Nationals do this offseason.

Juan Soto is not ready to commit to the Washington Nationals just yet. They need to prove that they are serious about contending first.