Juan Soto Rumors: Padres Star Could Be Traded Before End of MLB Winter Meetings

The San Diego Padres may trade three-time All-Star outfielder Juan Soto before the end of winter meetings, which will take place from December 4-7 in Nashville.

Jon Morosi reported the latest for MLB Network (h/t MLB.com).

"I do believe the market for Soto is robust, and there are enough teams out there that I think a trade is not only possible, it's possible before the Winter Meetings are over. Now, it is only a one-year scenario, and that can have a way of tempering the value in the marketplace, but we're still talking about one of the best offensive players in the game."

The 25-year-old Soto, who is eligible for free agency after the 2024 season, hit .275 (.930 OPS) with 35 home runs and 109 RBI in 162 games. He also finished the year with an MLB-leading 132 walks.

The Padres just went a disappointing 82-80 to miss the playoffs by two games, and they are reportedly looking to shed payroll in 2024, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

"How much the team is bringing in is not a known number, though one highly placed source says the team has doubled revenue since 2018 and others around baseball marvel at the impressive gains. However, the size of the payroll is known, and it has jumped from $104 million in 2018 to the season-ending figure of around $253 million in '23.

"In part because they are out of compliance with MLB regulations regarding their debt service ratio, according to multiple sources, the plan is to go into 2024 with player commitments of around $200 million."

Also, per Cot's Contracts, the Padres are already committed to $140.5 million on their 2025 payroll for just nine players. That group includes $13 million to first baseman Eric Hosmer, who was traded in Aug. 2022 to the Boston Red Sox. The Padres remain on the hook for his $144 million deal.

Soto will undoubtedly command a massive deal. When he was a member of the Washington Nationals, he turned down a 13-year, $350 million offer prior to the MLB lockout two years ago. Now it's a few years later, and he has a tremendous 2023 campaign. The price will only rise significantly from this point forward, especially in free agency.

With that in mind, a potential Soto deal makes sense, although he's still one of the game's greatest stars, and it also makes sense for San Diego to do everything in its power to retain him before potentially losing him for nothing in free agency.

For now, though, Soto is a Padre, but that may not be the case in a few weeks' time.