San Diego Padres rumors: Could 2021 fail mean more push for Juan Soto?

Last season was one to forget on a number of levels for the San Diego Padres. However, could one misstep of the 2021 campaign be enough to help the Friars land Juan Soto in 2022?

San Diego Padres rumors: Missing out on Max Scherzer and Trea Turner could be the fuel needed for the Padres to make a trade for Juan Soto

Flash back to the days before the trade deadline of 2021. According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, the San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals were “deep in negotiations” for a deal that would send pitcher Max Scherzer and infielder Trea Turner to San Diego. The trade, however, never materialized and the duo ended up with the Los Angeles Dodgers (with Turner still there and likely a key part of the arch-rival’s near future).

The deal sent shockwaves through Major League Baseball, and the Dodgers eventually made a deep run into the postseason. The Padres, thanks in part to an injury-riddled rotation that Scherzer certainly could have buoyed, fell apart, finished with a losing record, and parted with manager Jayce Tingler.

San Diego didn’t do enough to land Scherzer and Turner from the Nationals, being outbid by the Dodgers in their quest. Padres fans are hopeful that general manager A.J. Preller won’t let that same thing happen with Soto, a player that is reportedly being pursued by the Padres, Dodgers, and another National League West team, the San Francisco Giants.

Heyman lists Padres players and prospects such as shortstop C.J. Abrams, pitchers MacKenzie Gore, Adrian Morejon, and Ryan Weathers as well as outfielders James Wood and Robert Hassell III as potential players going to Washington in a deal for Soto. The price tag Washington has placed on Soto’s services is reportedly high, so the Padres would not only need to be willing to give away plenty of young talent, but also trade enough players that would comprise a better package than one put together by the Dodgers, Giants, or any other team looking to add Soto before the August 2 MLB trade deadline or even this offseason or beyond.

Preller reportedly believes (subscription required) that the Padres can rebuild their farm system if a big give is needed to acquire Soto. In that same article, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal writes that industry sources would not be surprised if the Padres go “all-out” for Soto “potential consequences be damned.”

By the way, this MLB.com article has the Padres listed as the favorites to land Soto … with the Dodgers right behind them.

While the failure to add Scherzer and Turner evolved into a nightmare for the San Diego Padres last season, the lessons learned from that back-and-forth with the Washington Nationals could provide valuable in trade negotiations for Juan Soto.