Padres Insider Says Juan Soto 'Unlikely' To Sign Extension With Team

Soto remains a likely trade candidate this offseason.

San Diego Padres star outfielder Juan Soto remains a likely trade candidate this offseason, as the team looks to shed salary. He is entering the final year of his contract, and the Padres know that they could get a nice package back for him.

While the team could try to sign him to an extension long-term, it has been noted that San Diego hasn't been fully open to it. Padres insider Dennis Lin of The Athletic added fuel to the notion that he would be traded, saying that it remains highly unlikely Soto signs an extension.

“Because Soto remains highly unlikely to sign an extension, exchanging the outfielder for multiple big-league-ready players might be the most logical decision the Padres can make.”

Per Dennis Lin of The Athletic

With this thought, the Padres almost have to move Soto this winter. They don't want to take him into the season where he could potentially get hurt or have a down year. His value is as high as it ever will be, and San Diego needs to take advantage of that fact.

They could move him at the deadline, but that would only delay the inevitable. Plus, teams would be paying for a half-season of Soto, instead of a full one, further devaluing him.

Teams like the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have been linked to Soto this winter, with New York being the most consistent. There has been a lot of smoke around a trade with the Yankees, and the two sides have even started trading players' names for a potential deal.

This Soto situation feels like it will come to a conclusion here soon, especially with the winter meeting coming up next week. San Diego has a lot of work to do, and it all starts with figuring how what to do with Soto.