MLB rumors: Juan Soto update makes a new contract with Nationals sound impossible

Washington Nationals star Juan Soto is stuck in a contract dispute with his team, and for good reason. Soto turned down $440 million.

The contract would have made him the highest-paid player in all of baseball, but it wasn’t enough. Said contract would’ve paid him steadily over the course of 15 years.

Yet, the AAV on that deal was nowhere near what Soto’s camp had in mind. Scott Boras and Co. wanted a yearly mark near the likes of which Max Scherzer received from the Mets this offseason — we’re talking $43 million.

Washington doesn’t appear willing to go that high.

Per Boras, the Nats offer was “not even in the range of consideration” due to the previously-discussed AAV and Washington’s current ownership situation. As Soto mentioned to the media earlier Tuesday, he has yet to meet the new Nationals owner face to face. Doing so, you would think, could make a huge difference.

Nationals: Will Juan Soto be traded?

Trading Soto before the deadline would be tough to pull off, though insiders are deeming it more possible than ever. Washington GM Mike Rizzo doesn’t think he can negotiate with Boras and Soto, so why not get what they can now while Soto still has three years left on his contract?

The Nats are in the middle of a rebuild. By the time they’re ready to contend, Soto might be on the last year of his deal at best. At worst, the Nationals are a middling team without a long-term face of the franchise due to frustrating negotiations with Soto.

$500 million is a lot to dole out for just one player, especially for a new ownership group.