MLB rumors: Here’s the Nationals exact asking price for Juan Soto

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal revealed what exactly the Washington Nationals are asking teams for star outfielder Juan Soto.

The MLB trade deadline is on Aug. 2, and the baseball world has its eyes set on the nation’s capital. The Washington Nationals and outfielder Juan Soto have failed to agree on a contract extension, with the latest offer being for $440 million over 15 years. There have been a variety of reports indicating that there are a number of teams that are interested in acquiring Soto.

Well, those teams will have to give up a lot.

According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Nationals are looking for “four to five top youngsters,” which is a combination of prospects and major leaguers with low service time.

Nationals’ asking price for Juan Soto revealed

As Rosenthal mentions in his appearance on MLB on FOX, he was told the Nationals are not negotiating and if a team is unwilling to meet their demands, they will move on.

On the morning of the Home Run Derby, ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that rival executives believe there was a chance that Soto gets dealt before the trade deadline if the outfielder and the team are unable to reach an agreement on a new deal.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, and St. Louis Cardinals have opened up trade discussions with the Nationals.

The Nationals are letting teams know that if they want a superstar like Soto, who is under team control until the conclusion of the 2024 season, they will have to surrender a lot to acquire him at the deadline. Whether a team does so is still a mystery. You can expect there to be more buzz once the deadline approaches closer.