Eric Hosmer refuses to leave San Diego Padres behind
The Juan Soto deal is done. The San Diego Padres are receiving Soto and Josh Bell, sending a package of prospects and players who have just started their major league careers over to Washington. It was just a matter of whether or not another piece would be heading back east as well.
Eric Hosmer had been part of the return for the Nationals in theory. The problem was that he would need to waive his limited no-trade clause that happened to include Washington. According to Mark Feinsand from MLB Network, that has not happened as Hosmer is refusing to his part of the trade.
San Diego Padres running out of time with Eric Hosmer
This does not truly impact the trade in a material fashion. Soto and Bell are heading to San Diego regardless of whether or not Hosmer waived that clause. The deal is done, the pact has been sealed.
But this puts the Padres and Hosmer in a difficult spot. They have just a few hours to figure something out with a player who no longer has a spot on their roster. Josh Bell is taking over his place at first and Luke Voit is the Padres’ designated hitter. Hosmer, meanwhile, is a man without a path to playing time who is owed another $39 million over the next three years.
It is possible a team will take him on. The Padres were willing to cover that entire salary to move him to Washington. Maybe they can find a team willing to take him on that is not on his no trade list under the same stipulation – that the Padres cover the entire salary. Even then, any receiving team would likely want something in return.
At this point, the best option for the Padres may be to cut their losses and just send Hosmer into free agency. They would still have to pay him anyway, but would at least save the pro-rated portion of the league minimum should he sign elsewhere. Hosmer, meanwhile, could get a chance to rebuild his value and find another team willing to take him on. Unless something changes in the next few hours, that may be his future.
A look at the return for Soto, Bell. dark. Next
Eric Hosmer is refusing to waive his no-trade clause. No matter what he wants, his time with the San Diego Padres is coming to an end.