New San Diego Padres baseball team manager Bob Melvin speaks during an introductory press conference Monday, Nov. 1, 2021, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Derrick Tuskan)
MLB Insider Reports Padres Are Now Unlikely to Trade Juan Soto This Offseason
The biggest question surrounding the San Diego Padres this offseason is what the team is going to do with star outfielder Juan Soto. Soto will be entering into his final season on his contract, and up to this point at least, the Padres haven’t shown a willingness to retain him for the long haul.
This has led many people to believe that the Padres would move him this winter, with the hope of getting back a nice haul for him. The value of Soto is as high as it ever will be right now, so if they are going to trade him, now would be the time.
But recently, we have seen conflicting reports coming out about the Soto situation. Some people say that they are definitely moving him this offseason, and some say that the team is planning to use him in their 2024 plans. But one insider is now saying that he doesn’t believe Soto will be moved this offseason.
Insider Jon Heyman appeared on a Bleacher Report live stream, and gave his thoughts about what the Padres will do with their star outfielder.
If the Padres don’t move him this winter, they are playing a risky game. He could start the season with a slow start, or get injured, which would bring his value way down. But the Padres likely have a plan on how they want to go about things, and they are probably keeping that to themselves.
Moving Soto would leave a big hole in their lineup, as he was one of the elite players in 2023. They would have to find a way to replace his production, although it wouldn’t come easy.
But the Padres have to do something differently this offseason after a frustrating year that saw them miss the postseason. They still want to compete in 2024, but it remains to be seen how that looks roster-wise.
