MLB rumors: 5 favorites to trade for Nationals star Juan Soto
By Tim Boyle
2) MLB rumors: Why the San Diego Padres could trade for Juan Soto
The San Diego Padres love to make trades and although this deal wouldn’t include Eric Hosmer, it’s still one for them to make.
San Diego finds itself in the thick of the National League West race despite having only two hitters playing well—Hosmer and Manny Machado. Everyone else is stinking up the joint. Maybe more than anyone else, the Padres need to take a big swing at a bat of Soto’s abilities.
The Padres haven’t been shy about letting the league know they want to make deals. They have been motivated plenty in recent years to improve themselves. This year, as they hang tough with the Los Angeles Dodgers, they may need to go the extra step and sell a big piece of their expected future to make it happen.
Their top prospect, shortstop C.J. Abrams, would absolutely get the Nationals drooling. The sixth-overall pick from the 2019 draft has already tasted big league at-bats this year and would need a position change anyway if he was to stick in San Diego. Fernando Tatis Jr. will be back eventually and he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
The Padres could easily slot Soto in as their everyday right fielder and move Wil Myers to left field or DH him as needed. The Padres need to be aggressive and smart. Trading for Soto would fit into that category.