Ultimate Juan Soto dark horse destination could torture Mets, Phillies for next decade

When the New York Yankees acquired Juan Soto, there was an understanding that very little was guaranteed beyond the 2024 season. Soto, in the final year of his contract and due for $600 million-plus on the open market, could very well pack up and leave after a single campaign with New York.

Soto is notably a client of Scott Boras, whose whole schtick is squeezing the most money possible out of teams in free agency. The Yankees are a dominant force in the AL East and Soto looks to be having the most fun of his career. Soto is going to receive MVP votes, the Yankees are going to make noise in the playoffs, and none of that will matter if New York can't deliver the Brink's truck in a few months.

There are several contenders (and wannabe contenders) connected to Soto already. The New York Mets are strong candidates thanks to the deep pockets of Steve Cohen. The Philadelphia Phillies never back down from a pricey contract, and Soto has several friends and former teammates on that roster. Even the San Diego Padres could seek a reunion. Hell, and this would be quite tragic, the Los Angeles Dodgers will probably toss their hat in the ring, too.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post gives the Yankees even odds to keep Soto. The Yanks don't have the deepest pockets, but they aren't exactly cheap either. Soto is a special talent with another decade of elite production in the tank. Of course the Yankees will and should try everything in their power to keep him.

If he does leave, however, it's most fun to imagine Soto ending up with a dark horse team that nobody expects. On MLB Network, Mark DeRosa pitched a landing spot that would truly shock the baseball fandom and shift the balance of power in fascinating ways.

What if Soto just returns to where it all started?

Juan Soto could return to Nationals in the ultimate free agency upset

This is such a comepelling possibility to consider. The Washington Nationals are knocking on the door in the National League. When Mike Rizzo dealt Soto all those years ago, he acquired an absolute haul of prospects. He essentially rebuilt the heart of Washington's lineup — C.J. Abrams, James Wood — and acquired legitimate firepower on the pitching front.

Now, just as the fruits of Washington's Soto trade begin to blossom, the Nats have a real chance to pitch Soto on a reunion. It's unclear how Soto would react to such a proposition, but he's comfortable in Nationals Park and there's a poetic quality to the idea of a reunion.

Washington, currently 13 games below .500 on the season, would be fighting an uphill battle here. The Nats aren't spending on the same level as the New York teams, or the Dodgers. Nor can Washington tout the same competitive track record in meetings with Soto. There is upside — untapped potential — but there is no concrete proof that this Nats squad is close to making its World Series push. It would take a real heroic effort from Rizzo and the front office, plus an unprecedented contract offer, to get Soto back in the nation's capital.

Never say never, though. The connection is already built-in, so there's less mystery about playing in Washington than there might be for, say, the Mets or the Phillies. Soto would generally know what to expect and that is often an underrated factor in free agent negotiations.