The Washington Nationals have agreed to sell outfielder Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres, according to CBS Sports HQ’s Jim Bowden. Soto, the biggest name in the market before Tuesday’s close at 6:00 p.m. ET, had been made available in July after rejecting a $440 million 15-year extension offer. The Padres will also acquire Nationals first baseman Josh Bell as part of the deal, and the Nationals will receive a package led by Lefty Mackenzie Gore, outfielder Robert Hassell III and shortstop CJ Abrams.
San Diego first baseman Eric Hosmer was also originally slated to go to DC, despite having a no-trade clause and not agreeing to move to Washington. Without Hosmer, the deal looks like this (although it could change again before it becomes official):
Acquiring Padres
acquire nationals
- LHP Mackenzie Gore
- BY Robert Hassell III
- SS CJ Abrams
- BY James Wood
- RHP Jarlin Susana
The Cardinals and Dodgers were considered the other two finalists for Soto, but were apparently outbid by San Diego.
Soto, 23, will have two more years of team control after this season. Since making his major league debut in the 2018 season, he has grown into one of the best players in baseball. On Tuesday, he had .291/.427/.538 (160 OPS+) with 119 homers for his career. Soto, a two-time All-Star, was part of the winning club at the 2019 Nationals World Series.
Why are the Nationals trading Juan Soto?
As ostentatious as $440 million seems, it’s worth noting that the Nationals’ renewal bid would have resulted in an average annual value of $29.3 million. According to Cot’s Contracts, that would be the 20th highest mark in the majors, a ranking incongruous for a player of his youth and track record. In fact, Soto’s AAV wouldn’t have been the highest on the Nationals active roster, with right-hander Stephen Strasburg averaging a cool $35 million per season.
Soto is the latest star to leave Nationals and joins an impressive list that includes Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, Trea Turner and Max Scherzer – the latter two being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers last year.
Soto’s departure comes at a time of high turnover for the Nationals organization. The franchise is expected to complete a sale to a new owner this off-season, marking the end of an era. The Lerner family had previously owned the team since 2006, when real estate developer Ted Lerner bought the club from Major League Baseball for $450 million. Ted later transferred ownership to his son Mark in 2018.
The rebuilding Nats are also pulling away from Bell, an upcoming free agent. Bell seemed to be one of the other top hitters available on the market. In 103 games with the Nationals this season, he had hit .301/.384/.493 (152 OPS+) with 14 home runs and nearly as many walks as strikeouts. Bell is a clear upgrade over Hosmer for the Padres.
Who is San Diego giving up?
The return of the Nationals is a combination of top league talent and prospects. Abrams, 21, is a speedy midfielder who has hit .232/.285/.320 (77 OPS+) with 23 strikeouts over walks and just seven extra base hits in 139 big league plate appearances. His lackluster performance should be seen against the backdrop that he missed most of last season, appearing in just 152 total professional games. That said, Abrams has played in more major league games than he has at Double or Triple-A level. He was ranked as the 10th best prospect for spring by CBS Sports based on a belief that he will do well over the long term.
Gore, 23, is currently on the injured list with an elbow problem. He had overcome an apparent fall from Yips and had a 4.50 ERA (84 ERA+) and a 1.95 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 70 innings this season, most of which came as a starter. Gore used to be considered one of the better pitching prospects in the game, but his aforementioned struggles have reduced his stock. His elbow problem doesn’t help either.
Hassell, 20, was the eighth pick of the 2020 draft. He has batted .299/.379/.467 in 75 games this season at High-A level. He’s considered a good hit tool, but scouts have long wanted to see him do more with his raw power. It is also unclear whether he can remain in midfield in the long term.
19-year-old Wood was San Diego’s second-round pick in the 2021 draft. He’s listed at 6-foot-7 and he has tremendous raw power and better speed than you’d expect from someone of his height. He slipped into the draft because reviewers were concerned about his swing-and-miss tendencies. Fortunately, in 50 games this season, he’s punched out on the plate in less than 20 percent of his trips.
Susana, 18, is a tall right-hander who has spent the season in the complex league. He has performed eight times and has a 2.45 ERA and a 4.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He has a big fastball and a promising breaking ball.