Padres Have Had Internal Discussions About Juan Soto Trade, Says MLB Insider

Will they or won't they? The saga continues on.

The San Diego Padres have some big decisions to make this offseason, but none are bigger than what they will do with star outfielder Juan Soto. Soto is heading into the final year of his contract, and many believe that the team will look to move him this winter.

However, we have been getting conflicting reports of late about what the team will actually do with him. But we may have more of a clue now that ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan is reporting that the Padres have had internal discussions about possibly moving Soto.

"The only logical end point to all this is moving Soto, who's expected to make around $33 million in his final year of arbitration. Now, logic doesn't always prevail. And it would be an awful look for the team to give up a prospect of James Wood's caliber -- not to mention C.J. Abrams, Mackenzie Gore, Robert Hassell and Jarlin Susana -- only to turn around after a season and a half and punt. But it's a sound enough perspective for the Padres to have internally discussed their options if they do move Soto, sources told ESPN."

Per Jeff Passan of ESPN.com

This could be the start of a potential move for the Padres, and Passan normally has an understanding of what is actually going on. The Padres need to shed salary this offseason, and moving Soto is one of the best ways to make it happen.

The team hasn't shown a willingness to retain him long-term, nor would they likely be able to afford what it would take. So, the logical move would be to move Soto and recoup any assets for him before he hits free agency.

Soto is still one of the elite players on the planet, so the Padres would likely be able to receive a nice haul back. They could either save those assets they receive or move them elsewhere to build a more well-rounded roster out.

San Diego has options this offseason, but they need to firmly figure out what they will do with Soto. Once they do that, they can get on with their winter plans and start focusing on getting themselves back into contention for 2024.