Nationals GM Mike Rizzo: "We Are Not Trading Juan Soto"
The rumor mill has been running rampant with Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto as many have reported that the Nats might trade their star before the July 31 trade deadline.
As preposterous as that may seem, Soto has gotten himself off to a rough start so far in 2022 and Washington hasn't finished above .500 since winning the World Series in 2019.
However, Nationals GM Mike Rizzo went on 106.7 The Fan in Washington D.C. on Wednesday morning to squash all trade rumors at once.
As was stated quite bluntly by Rizzo, the Nationals will not be trading Soto anytime soon.
Washington entered play on Wednesday with an 18-33 record, sitting in the basement of the National League East, a big reason why the rumor mill grew so rapidly.
The Nationals have lost a number of stars recently, with Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, Trea Turner and Max Scherzer leaving via free agency or trade since 2019, so it only made sense that Soto would be the next big piece to leave.
Right now, Soto is still in his rookie contract with Washington, currently signed through the 2022 season, having avoided arbitration this season by agreeing to a $17.1 million contract with the Nationals for 2022.
According to Baseball Reference, the earliest that Soto is arbitration eligible is 2023 and he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2025.
Through 51 games played, Soto is batting a career-low .233 with an .821 OPS. Surprisingly, his 141 OPS+ is on par with his first two MLB seasons.
He's still been incredibly productive at getting on base, leading the NL thus far with 42 walks.
It remains to be seen how Soto will bounce back, but looking at what he's done through his first four MLB seasons, he'll return to MVP form hopefully soon.
