Juan Soto rumors: Nationals roster move a strong sign trade is coming

The Nationals made a minor roster move on Friday that would seem to indicate that a Juan Soto trade is coming before the MLB trade deadline. 

Most MLB fans have already accepted that Juan Soto is going to be traded, likely sooner rather than later — namely before the Aug. 2 trade deadline. Yet, there are still reports that the Washington Nationals could wait until this offseason in order to make sure they get the deal they want.

However, if their roster moves in late July are any indication, the franchise is already bracing for a Soto trade.

On Friday, MLB insider Jon Heyman reported that the Nats had signed veteran outfielder David Dahl, who most recently spent time with the Texas Rangers. And as Heyman noted, this could be to fill an impending hole in the outfield that a Soto trade would create.

Juan Soto rumors: Nationals signing David Dahl could signal coming trade

Obviously, the Nationals aren’t foolish enough to think that Dahl is going to replace Soto, a 23-year-old superstar in the league. However, it is worth noting in regards to the potential of a trade developing before Aug. 2 that Washington is adding depth to the outfield.

These are the low-key signals that teams send before they make the bigger move. They start to round out the depth to prepare for losing a star player if they are the sellers in a possible trade. And that appears to be the case with the Nationals.

Several contenders have reportedly already made offers to the Nats for the superstar, so the club should have their pick of whatever package they prefer. In terms of the timing, though, adding Dahl to the organization could be a tell-tale sign that a trade will come before the deadline.