Dodgers News: What the Nationals Wanted From LA in the Trade For Juan Soto

The Los Angeles Dodgers were one of the few teams that could afford to trade for Juan Soto. The Nationals, being well aware of this fact, would obviously try to capitalize on the moment. So how high was the price?

During this trade deadline, Dodger fans didn't get the blockbuster deal they had become accustomed to having. While the organization was definitely involved in conversations to sign Juan Soto, the Nationals ultimately accepted the offer from San Diego. Washington gets Luke Voit, Mackenzie Gore, C.J. Abrams, Robert Hassell III, Jarlin Susana, and James Wood in the deal.

According to the OC Register’s J.P. Hoornstra, the package that the Nationals requested from the Dodgers was absurd. On his podcast this week, he spoke about it and it appears like it would have cost them big time.

“According to my sources, it was a package of 6 or 7 prospects. The headliners were Diego Cartaya and Bobby Miller, who are respectively the top position player and the top pitcher in the Dodgers’ system. Beyond that, I’ve heard there were a few different versions of how the trade might have been construed.”

Hoornstra says that the Nationals also wanted 2-3 more of the Dodgers’ top 5 prospects and an additional 2-3 “wildcard” prospects. Making the price for Soto incredibly steep. Ryan Pepiot, Miguel Vargas, Andy Pages, and Michael Busch would have all been available and likely. 

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman addresses the media following a quiet on the surface trade deadline.

But, trading away that many prospects would have practically wiped out the Dodgers farm system. Having Juan Soto in the outfield would have been a very expensive luxury rather than a "need" and getting San Diego to quite literally sell the farm could prove far more valuable to Los Angeles in the long run.