Padres Rumors: MLB Insider Suggests Juan Soto is in Current Contract Extension Talks with San Diego

San Diego would be retaining a true star of the game if they can finish the job.

After the trade deadline last season, many believed that the San Diego Padres were on the cusp of greatness. They had acquired the biggest target in star outfielder Juan Soto, and they were ready to take over.

The team did reach the NLCS last year, but this season has had a different feel to it. They have struggled to find any sense of consistency as the year has gone on and it has hurt them in the standings.

Now with only one year remaining on his current contract, there have been reports that the Padres may look to move Soto this offseason. But one insider has gone a different route and is reporting that Soto is currently in contract extension talks with the Friars.

MLB insider Hector Gomez tweeted that talks were going well between the two sides.

The talks are going very well.

— Héctor Gómez (@hgomez27) September 3, 2023

For the Padres, this would be a big win if they are able to lock Soto up long-term. He is still one of the better players across baseball, so getting him to buy in after the struggles they have seen this season would be massive.

For the year, Soto is hitting .261 with 28 home runs and 84 runs batted in. He has come on strong lately as the team makes a last-ditch effort toward a playoff push.

Soto is still just 24 years old, so his best years are ahead of him. San Diego has a ton of their main players signed for long-term deals, so they would have their core in place. This is how teams build continuity, and it normally results in winning ball games.

The Padres have the financial capability to pay Soto what he wants, so they need to make sure to do so. He gives them a big bat in their lineup each night out, and he brings in a ton of fan attention as well. It’s in the best interest of both sides to get a deal done if they can.