Juan Soto rumors: Nats want to offload pitcher in any trade

The Washington Nationals are reportedly trying to include a pitcher in any Juan Soto trades, per The Athletic’s Jim Bowden.

It is never ideal for a team to trade their top star, but that is a situation that the Washington Nationals are considering. The team is reportedly open to trading 23-year-old outfielder Juan Soto after he turned down a 15-year, $440 million contract offer this past weekend. Now, it is a matter of seeing what teams would have to give up in return for Soto by the Aug. 2 deadline. But, the Nationals are looking to include another player in trades for Soto.

According to The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, the Nationals are looking to include the bloated contract of pitcher Patrick Corbin in any trades for Soto.

“In return for Soto, the Nationals want multiple major leaguers and top prospects but also to offload the bad contract of pitcher Patrick Corbin, according to sources,” writes Bowden.

Nationals want to ‘offload’ Patrick Corbin’s contract in Juan Soto trade packages

Washington signed Corbin to a six-year, $140 million contract in the winter of 2018. In his first season, Corbin recorded a 3.25 ERA, a 1.183 WHIP, a 14-7 record, and 238 strikeouts in 202.0 innings (33 starts). That very year, the Nationals won the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

Since then, Corbin’s numbers have gotten worse. In 2021, Corbin led all pitchers in losses (16), earned runs (111), and home runs allowed (37). This season, as of July 20, Corbin has recorded 12 losses, 134 hits allowed, and 65 earned runs in 19 starts, all of which are league highs, per Baseball-Reference.

After this season, Corbin carries a $23 million salary in 2023 and a $35 million salary in 2024, per Spotrac.

The Nationals not only want teams interested in Soto to surrender multiple major league players and top prospects, but to also take on the two-plus years remaining of Corbin’s contract.