Juan Soto Expected to be Traded by Padres This Offseason, Insider Weighs In

Be on the lookout for a deal to happen.

After the poor season that the San Diego Padres put together this year, they now enter the offseason with a ton of questions to answer. Currently, they are involved in figuring out who their next manager will be, but they also have some pressing needs across the roster.

One of the biggest questions surrounding the Friars is what the team will do with star outfielder Juan Soto. There has been a ton of buzz about the Padres moving him this winter before he enters into his last season on his contract.

San Diego has made no promises about retaining him long-term due to the financial obligations that it would take. Thus, moving him this winter makes the most sense, and it seems that it could very well happen.

MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today gave his thoughts on the situation, and all but confirmed that the Padres would move Soto this offseason. He appeared on the Hog Watch show to break down everything relating to Soto.

Bob Nightengale just told me his thoughts on Juan Soto and the #Padres pic.twitter.com/MPLWYD0ChQ

— Borna Nazari (@thehogwatch) October 25, 2023

If the Padres do move off Soto, they could replenish the farm system that they depleted to acquire him years ago. They then could move those players to get another talented MLB player or move ahead in forming a more well-rounded squad.

The value of Soto is as high as it ever will be this winter, so the Padres should move him before the season starts. He is still one of the best players in the league, and there will be no shortage of suitors for his services if he goes on the trade market.

This is just one of the big decisions that the Padres front office must decide about this winter. They need to find a way to get this team back into contention after a disappointing year that saw them miss the postseason entirely.