Padres Should Consider This Juan Soto Trade Proposal That Brings New Ace to San Diego

San Diego is expected to trade Soto this offseason.

The 2022 trade deadline was one of the best days in San Diego Padres history. Acquiring star outfielder Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals gave San Diego a jolt that the franchise hadn't really felt before.

The team was primed to make a run, and while the regular season wasn't incredible, they ended up reaching the NLCS. The team then put together a strong offseason, and the belief was that they were ready to take the next step toward seriously contending for a World Series.

But the Padres struggled to maintain any form of consistency in 2023, and it saw them fail to even qualify for the postseason. Their doomed year has them now worried about payroll, and they are expected to cut salaries this winter.

One of the biggest ways they can do that is to move that prized 2022 deadline acquisition in a trade. Soto is entering the final year of his contract, and even before the regular season ended there was heavy talk about the possibility of a trade this offseason.

Soto is projected to make around $33 million this season, according to salary arbitration projections by MLBTradeRumors.com. The Padres would love to not have that on their books, no matter how productive of a player Soto is.

The team also is expected to lose multiple starting pitchers this offseason, and they will need to add to the rotation. This includes Cy Young winner Blake Snell, who the Friars will need to replace.

But fear not Padres fans, I have a solution that could help the team reduce salary and also land an ace-level starter to replace Snell. It involves Snell's former team, the Tampa Bay Rays, who are looking around the market to trade starter Tyler Glasnow.

So, I am proposing a Soto for Glasnow swap, with other pieces involved, as well. Tampa Bay would likely need to send the Padres one or two prospects, too, simply due to how elite Soto is.

Why a Juan Soto for Tyler Glasnow Trade Makes Sense

Glasnow is scheduled to earn $25 million this coming season, which would lower the Padres payroll. They would get a front-line starter to replace Snell and do so without spending any extra money.

The Rays right-hander returned to form in 2023, posting an ERA of 3.53 and a WHIP of 1.08. He also struck out 162 batters over 120 innings of work.

San Diego could then see how Glasnow fit in with the team and potentially agree to an extension with him. It would be for far, far less than what it would take to keep Soto in town.

On the Rays' side of things, they would get Soto for one season to compete for a title. Tampa Bay has been active in their pursuit of players like Soto in previous seasons, and even if he won't sign with them long-term, they get a true star in town for the 2024 season.

They weren't going to sign Glasnow long-term anyway, so why not grab Soto for a year? It would give the Rays a legitimate chance to compete in the American League, and fans a reason to show up to games.

The teams could swap their current issues for current solutions. San Diego wants MLB-ready talent in exchange for Soto if they are to move him, and this would be a blockbuster deal for baseball if it went down.

Soto and Glasnow are two of the most talked about trade pieces this offseason. Why don't the teams just make something happen together?