Padres News: Analyst Claims Nationals Won Juan Soto Trade With Friars

Tough to tell, but D.C. might have this one in the long-term.

In the marquee move of the 2022 trade deadline, Padres GM AJ Preller dealt for Nationals outfielder Juan Soto for a prospect package the likes of which the league had never seen. 

After a year of evaluating the deal, at least one analyst is ready to call the deal a victory for Washington D.C. considering the Padres' place in the standings at this point in time relative to their roster with Soto included.

Did the Nationals win the Juan Soto trade in 2022?#MLBNow | #MLBNowShowdown | @Boporter16Bo pic.twitter.com/RlEbtP19M7

— MLB Now (@MLBNow) August 18, 2023

The most important pieces of the deal for the Nationals, at least at the major league level were shortstop C.J. Abrams and pitcher Mackenzie Gore in exchange for Soto to San Diego. 

While Soto has been an MVP contender in the NL this season, his team surrounded by other superstars have floundered in the divisional standings having many in the organization questioning what went wrong in 2023. 

It was no secret that the Nationals were rebuilding after losing multiple pieces of their championship core from 2019 and the deal has rejuvenated their prospect core with Abrams and Gore at the forefront. 

With Abrams developing into a decent power speed threat and Gore tossing over 100 innings with an ERA around 4.38, both pieces are getting valuable playing time for their future goals in the nation's capital. 

Dealing Trea Turner, Max Scherzer, Juan Soto and letting Anthony Rendon walk in free agency, the Nationals fully committed to a youth movement and the pieces they got from San Diego are paying immediate dividends. 

For Soto's future in Southern California, the main hang up for him leaving D.C. was a possible contract extension. 

Seeing the talent around him crumble, Soto's trade to San Diego had the underlying thought that he'd extend with the Friars long term. 

Given the team's 2023 performance, such a thought is less stable than it once was for the 2022 NLCS team making the deal all the more interesting to monitor should Soto leave Petco.