Soto is still available for the Phillies following trade talks with the Yankees.
There’s a lot of speculation about what the Philadelphia Phillies will do with the rest of their offseason. They’ve already accomplished their top priority of reuniting Aaron Nola with the team, so they could theoretically stick with the lineup that’s made back-to-back NLCS appearances. However, Dave Dombrowski has not operated in this manner since taking over the Phillies. They’re still rumored to be looking for starting pitchers, bullpen help, and rotational outfielders. Perhaps because of their history of making headlines, Philadelphia has also been linked to superstar Juan Soto in the trade market, with one MLB insider believing they could be in the running for the blockbuster move.
If they are, they have some good news regarding the Soto sweepstakes, as it appears that talks between the San Diego Padres and the New York Yankees have broken down. This follows the Padres’ outrageous asking price, which would have completely depleted the Yankees’ farm system of top talent. If that’s the type of package San Diego is looking for in exchange for a player who could be a one-year rental before hitting free agency at the end of the season, they’ll have a difficult time moving him and the Phillies won’t be interested.
However, if the market remains stagnant, this could be the opportunity that Philadelphia is looking for to enter trade talks to acquire Soto. As of now, there has been no indication that Dombrowski and his front office have contacted the Padres to inquire about the type of package they are seeking from the Phillies, but the stalled discussions with the Yankees may buy them some time. The Soto rumors are expected to heat up during the Winter Meetings, which begin on Sunday. All rights reserved by ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC.
