Scott Boras: Juan Soto Trade Not Being Pursued by Padres Despite Latest MLB Rumors

Trade rumors have swirled around San Diego Padres outfielder and three-time All-Star Juan Soto, who is set to receive a major payday with free agency looming in 2025.

However, Soto's agent, Scott Boras, told reporters Wednesday that the Padres plan to keep Soto around in 2024.

Boras made the remarks during a chat about Soto and other MLB-related topics during the ongoing annual general managers' meetings, which are taking place in Scottsdale, Arizona.

San Diego entered the 2023 season with World Series hopes but ended outside the playoffs at 82-80.

That certainly wasn't the fault of the 25-year-old Soto, who just finished off an All-Star campaign, hitting .275 (.930 OPS) alongside a career-high 35 home runs and 109 RBI. He played all 162 games and finished the year with an MLB-leading 132 walks.

The Padres hypothetically could trade Soto if they wanted to break the team down and hope for brighter days with top prospects. They could also find that Soto has no interest in staying in San Diego long term and trade him for whatever they can get. And perhaps Soto wants so much money that the Padres can't match his financial demands.

But Soto is one of the best players in baseball and should be part of the solution for brighter days in San Diego. He's a cornerstone franchise player, and letting him go could seriously hurt the franchise's short- and long-term prospects.

For now, it appears Soto will start the season as a Padre, meaning he'll be in the lineup when the team opens the 2024 campaign in Seoul, South Korea, on March 20 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.