3 Juan Soto trade destinations that meet all of his wish list items
By Curt Bishop
With the Winter Meetings beginning on Sunday, San Diego Padres slugger Juan Soto may soon be on the move. The Padres appear to be intent on trading him.
Soto is hoping to go to a contender that has the ability to sign him to a long-term contract extension. In that case, look for larger-market teams to be the ones in play for the Padres slugger.
Something could end up happening in the next couple of days with the meetings beginning soon.
With that in mind, here are three teams that could fit the criteria Soto is looking for and trade for the slugger.
3. San Francisco Giants
The Giants have proven that they are more than willing to spend a hefty amount of money. Last offseason, they were close to signing a deal with Aaron Judge before he went back to the New York Yankees at the last minute.
San Francisco also came close with Carlos Correa before team doctors expressed concerns over his physical.
Soto obviously is not a free agent, but if they're willing to spend the money, they are also very likely willing to give up the prospects it would take to land Soto.
Keep in mind however that trades within divisions are exceptionally rare. But with the Giants reportedly in on Shohei Ohtani, it's very possible that they could pivot to Soto if they are unable to sign the two-way star.
The Giants do have money to spend, as evidenced by their pursuits of Judge and Correa, so Soto could potentially be given an extension.
San Francisco does need a power bat in the middle of their lineup. They may ultimately lose Joc Pederson in free agency, and while they have Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto, they could use a little bit more power in their lineup.
Soto would certainly fit the bill and give the Giants a legitimate shot to contend for an NL West title for the first time since 2021.