Report: Padres, Cardinals Currently in Lead for Juan Soto Sweepstakes

With the trade deadline approaching, the pair of National League teams appear to be at the front of the Soto negotiations.

With the trade deadline approaching, the market for Juan Soto appears to be narrowing. According to The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, four teams remain in on acquiring the Nationals outfielder, with the Padres and Cardinals currently favored.

There are strong indications that the #Padres and #Cardinals are in the lead for a Juan Soto blockbuster trade but that is subject to change as any of the 4 teams still in the mix could improve their offers at any moment, according to sources involved in the trade negotiations.

— Jim Bowden⚾️ (@JimBowdenGM) July 30, 2022

ESPN’s Buster Olney previously reported MLB executives viewed San Diego as the frontrunner for Soto.

Considering the high cost it will take to get Soto, not many teams will want to or be able to meet Washington’s demands. However, the Padres and Cardinals hold two of the deeper farm systems in the game and two of the more aggressive teams in the game. Two of St. Louis’s best players, Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, were acquired through trade, while Padres general manager A.J. Preller is known for his aggressiveness.

In order to get a deal done, one team must be willing to part with several valuable players in its organization. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported last week that Washington wants “four to five top young players, a combination of prospects and major leaguers with low service time.”

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