MLB Insider: New York Mets Among Teams to Talk Juan Soto With Nationals

MLB insider says New York Mets among teams to talk Juan Soto with Nationals.
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The trade buzz for this superstar is only continuing to heat up.

With the August 2 trade deadline approaching, Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto is a hot topic of discussion after he rejected a 15-year, $440 million extension offer recently. 

According to MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY, the Nationals have begun fielding preliminary offers from at least seven teams, including the Mets.

Now, there's no guarantee that Soto gets dealt by the deadline, which would be a short window of time. But the 23-year-old phenom still has two more years of control, and he's almost certain to be traded in the near future, even if this comes after the season.

Whoever lands Soto will be giving up a historic haul to acquire his services. For the Mets and Nats', both clubs would have to be willing to stomach the idea of their player/s having success within the division - another tough sell. 

In order to get Soto, the Mets would likely have to fork over "untouchable" prospects such as Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, plus more. The Nationals could even ask for controllable major league talent such as Jeff McNeil or David Peterson as well. 

The Mets could possibly take on a bloated contract such as Patrick Corbin or Stephen Strasburg to lessen the prospect haul. But from a return standpoint this wouldn't be an ideal situation for the Nationals, who would be giving up a generational talent. 

It's currently difficult to envision the Mets and Nats' striking a deal that sends Soto to Queens. Then again, the Mets have enough prospect capital to meet Washington's price, and deep enough wallets to take on a bad contract, while also extending Soto with the backing of billionaire owner Steve Cohen. In the very least, it sounds like the Mets are mulling a potential trade for Soto, as there has been reported dialogue between New York and Washington. 

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Pat Ragazzo
PAT RAGAZZO

Pat Ragazzo is the reporter, publisher, site manager and executive editor for Sports Illustrated's Mets and Yankees On SI websites. Pat was selected as The Top Reporter & Publisher of the Year 2024 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP) for outstanding leadership, dedication, and commitment to the industry. He has been seen on several major TV Network stations including: NBC4, CBS2, FOX5, PIX11 and NY1; and is frequently heard on ESPN New York FM 880 AM and WFAN Sports Radio 101.9 FM as a guest. Pat also serves as the Mets insider for the "Allow Me 2 Be Frank" podcast hosted by Frank "The Tank" Fleming of Barstool Sports. You can follow him on Twitter/X: @ragazzoreport.