MLB Rumors: Will the Padres trade Juan Soto to the Yankees?
New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter isn’t afraid to say what everyone is thinking.
“I do believe the San Diego Padres could get hot and really make some waves in the National League West,” said Jeter. “But if they don’t, I wouldn’t mind seeing the Yankees go out and get Juan Soto. You don’t know how long Judge is going to be out, they need some offense, I think it makes sense.”
With the San Diego Padres season in flux, could they trade star outfielder Juan Soto, who is a free agent after the 2024 season? The Padres, who are expected to be among the suitors for Shohei Ohtani, may have to choose between signing Soto long-term and chasing after the two-way star. Trading Soto now would allow them to recoup some value and gain financial flexibility at the same time.
To acquire Soto, the Yankees would surely have to part ways with some top-tier prospect capital. Think the likes of Jasson Dominguez, or perhaps even better. Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza are off limits, but Dominguez remains young enough — and raw enough — for Brian Cashman to talk himself into dealing.
The Yankees sit in fourth in the AL East. To make a run in the postseason this year, they may need to make major waves at the deadline. Acquiring Soto would do just that — though it remains unrealistic.
“Their struggles have led people to ask whether they should sell at the deadline — and all indications, at least as of right now, are that the team does not want to move stars Juan Soto, Josh Hader or Blake Snell,” FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray wrote in regards to the Padres.
From the Yankees perspective, trading for Soto is a home run. However, it takes two to tango.
MLB Rumors: Houston Astros need pitching
Astros general manager Dana Brown made it clear that the team’s top trade deadline priority is pitching — namely starting pitching. Houston isn’t hiding from the fact that they need an upgrade in that area, especially with the injuries to Lance McCullers Jr., Luis Garcia and Jose Urquidy. By the end of the month, fans should expect Houston to acquire at least one of the big-name starters on the market.
On his weekly appearance on @SportsTalk790, Astros general manager Dana Brown said his number one priority at the trade deadline is now a starting pitcher.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) July 12, 2023
Lucas Giolito has emerged as one of the Astros top targets, per Chron.
“Lucas Giolito is the most high-profile name of the bunch—he’s a former All-Star with two top-10 Cy Young finishes on his resume, and he has a 3.45 ERA through 19 starts in 2023,” writes Josh Criswell. “Giolito would undoubtedly help solidify an Astros rotation in need of another high-end arm.”
The White Sox don’t want to trade any player they deem part of their future core, of which Giolito is not. Luis Robert and Dylan Cease are off limits, just as an example. Giolito, despite his impressive numbers on the season, is too close to free agency NOT to trade for assets.
MLB Rumors: Cardinals understand change is needed
The Cardinals are 38-52 and 11 games back of a postseason spot. A run to the playoffs would be shocking, and although not impossible, baseball fans in St. Louis ought to prepare for a fire sale at the trade deadline.
That’s an indictment of this front office, which thought they put a winning product on the field to start the season, despite obvious flaws in the starting rotation and bullpen. As with every team, injuries and disappointing play from some of their stars have certainly played a role, but in the end this is on John Mozeliak and his team.
“When you look at how things have unfolded, I don’t want to go through every little excuse we see,” said Mozeliak. “We know it hasn’t worked. We know changes have to happen.”
For St. Louis fans watching the All-Star Game, it was a reminder of just how much the Cards front office has faltered over the last few years. In 2019, both Adolis Garcia and Randy Arozarena were on this roster. Now, they are starring elsewhere. Zac Gallen, who started for the National League, is another former Cardinal.
Mozeliak went as a far as to say the on-field product “should have been better,” per their model.
“When you look at what we’ve put on paper, it should’ve worked better, but it didn’t,” said Mozeliak. “The front office [and] ownership know we have to do something different. This is not the model we’re going to follow. That’s something we’ll take a hard look at [and] try to address it, but changes will happen.”
It remains to be seen exactly how many changes the Cardinals intend to make. If Mozeliak can use this season as a wake-up call, and an excuse to get younger around the margins, then fans will have something to look forward to in 2024.