Blue Jays Among Favorites To Trade For Juan Soto, Per Odds
Young superstars are rarely traded, and the line to swap for Juan Soto will surely be long. The Blue Jays, however, may be near the front of that queue.
Toronto is tied for fourth in 'next team odds' for Soto, according to BetOnline. The Blue Jays' +600 odds imply a 14.29% chance the organization will acquire Soto, if the outfielder is traded.
Soto rumors have swirled in recent days after The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported the Nationals outfielder turned down a 15-year, $440 million extension offer. With the 23-year-old's contract price increasing and nearing free agency, the Nationals will now "entertain trade offers" for Soto, per reports.
"A couple weeks ago, [the Nationals] were saying they will never trade me," Soto told reporters at Monday's All-Star Media Day. "And now all these things come out. It feels really uncomfortable. You don't know what to trust. At the end of the day, it's out of my hands what decision they make."
While the Blue Jays have four regular outfielders under team control for multiple years in Lourdes Gurriel Jr., George Springer, Teoscar Hernández, and Raimel Tapia, a player of Soto's caliber would interest almost any club. The cost, however, would likely be steep, including a package of young MLB players and several top prospects.
Toronto's odds to trade for Soto are tied with the Dodgers for fourth-best. The Mets at +400 lead, with the Giants and Yankees the only other teams listed above Los Angeles and Toronto.
The 2022 MLB Trade Deadline will occur on August 2.