Juan Soto trade rumors: Padres backup plan involves the Cubs

Juan Soto is likely to be traded, the biggest Juan Soto trade Rumors connect him to the Padres, but could they take another path?

Nationals superstar Juan Soto is on the path to likely being traded in the next 50 hours. It’s being reported that there are two teams closest to acquiring him, the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres. These Soto trade rumors are likely affecting the entire trade market as teams see what happens and where Soto will be sent. That doesn’t mean that talks between other teams have stopped. The Padres are apparently discussing a backup plan with the Cubs in case they miss out on Soto.

Heyman is correct in saying that these players fit the Padres’ needs and interests. The Padres badly need a right-handed bat that could provide more power and perhaps play first base. Willson could fill this need well plus providing the luxury of being a catcher. No longer would they be forced to rely on the meager Eric Hosmer.

It’s also clear that the Padres need more outfield help since Wil Meyers, Nomar Mazara, Jurickson Profar, and Trent Grisham have each underperformed. Acquiring the All-Star Ian Happ who hits left-handed and can play in the outfield would help them a ton. Their lineup would be more even. The best part is that he is under team control through 23′. This allows the Padres the flexibility in the off-season to not be forced into trading for an outfielder.

Perhaps the best part is that acquiring both players would be far cheaper than trading for Juan Soto. There’s also the idea that these two combined would equal what Juan Soto would provide for the rest of the season. Though obviously, you would rather instead acquire Juan Soto if possible.

It’s clear though that the Juan Soto trade rumors are affecting the whole MLB if the Padres are discussing backup plans with the Cubs about such highly sought-after players.