How much Juan Soto is worth to the San Diego Padres

The Major League Baseball trade deadline is less than a week away and Washington Nationals Juan Soto is available for the right price. The San Diego Padres have struggled with offensive production from their outfielders all season. The question for the Friars is how much Soto is worth to their cause.

San Diego Padres Could Stay Under Luxury Tax

Media reports began to surface on the final Sunday of the first half of the season that Soto rejected the latest contract extension (15-year/$440 million) offer from the Nationals. Suddenly, the team’s front office was willing to move their star outfielder at the trade deadline.

No question, his next contract will be record-breaking. He is one of the top hitting stars in the majors today. At 23 years old, Soto possesses a career 21 WAR score and will become a free agent following the 2024 season. But his salary for 2023 and 2024 will be team friendly.

Currently, Soto is making $17.1 million this season. The Padres would pay a pro-rated salary for the remainder of the 2022 campaign. The Friars will have money coming off the books this upcoming offseason.

The Padres could remove Wil Myers’ $20 million salary by using their team option ($1 million buyout) next winter. It is a move that will give the Friars some wiggle room to give Soto a decent raise in salary and stay under the luxury tax for 2023.

On the field, Soto is the perfect left-handed hitter to be positioned in between the Padres two right-handed hitters, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., in the lineup. It is a no-brainer for the Friars to make a run at him at the trade deadline.

Possible Trade Package to Acquire Soto

It is hard to predict the type of package needed to acquire Soto. It may take two of the Friars top ten prospects and four other players in exchange for the young outfielder and the contract dumping of Patrick Corbin.

The Padres farm system has a load of quality prospects at each level, which will help to make such a deal. Top of the talent pool is CJ Abrams, who is one of the premier shortstop prospects in baseball today. He will be the marquee name atop the Friars trade proposal for Soto. Abrams could represent the future of the Nationals rebuild.

Other players the Padres could include in the trade are Trent Grisham, Luis Campusano, James Wood, Ryan Weathers, Adrian Morejon and Joshua Mears. All of the minor leaguers have flourished this season. It is the type of trade proposal that should overwhelm the Nationals front office. If the Friars believe Soto will be traded, then offer them a promising future.

Friars Biggest Rival Could Acquire Soto

The Padres biggest rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers, are likely to be a suitor for Soto’s services as well. In past trade deadlines, the Dodgers have been active in acquiring talent for their expected playoff runs. From the days of a last-minute Manny Ramirez deal through the Max Scherzer-Trea Turner blockbuster trade of last season.

However, the Dodgers minor league system is not the same as in past seasons. Despite Diego Cartaya and Bobby Miller emerging as the organization’s top prospects, neither player is ready for the majors at the moment. The Dodgers have other parts to offer, but they may not be enticing enough for the Nationals to make a move. The willingness to make a trade is there, but the major league-ready talent is not.

Soto is a generational talent, so it will not be easy to acquire him from the Nats. The Friars do not need to trade for him with an eye on extending Soto long-term. Two and half years from free agency can be an eternity in professional sports.

Realistically, a trade of this nature is complicated. The odds are high that Soto will not be moved until the offseason. But if a deal does take place, the Nats’ trade partner likely has a deep farm system with quality prospects.

From that standpoint, the San Diego Padres should initiate a conversation.