Tennessee’s Nashville The fact that the Padres have not yet made the multiyear offer they first stated they would make is one indication that Juan Soto will probably be dealt.
When pressed, Padres officials will only concede that there’s a better than 50-50 chance he’ll be traded, despite rumors that they must reduce their startlingly large $249 million salary.
Rivals, though, think they have no other option. One competitor executive stated, “They’ll have to take out another loan” if the Padres don’t deal him.
The sudden passing of cherished Padres owner and chairman Peter Seidler, whose win-at-all-costs mentality was essentially unheard of, may have altered things.
Thus, at baseball’s annual winter meetings, Soto seems to be the greatest bet for a blockbuster for the time being.
Even Soto, one of the top five or six hitters in the game, could have to wait.
While the sport waits for the decisions of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and 25-year-old pitching wonder Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the markets mainly seem stuck, and indications suggest that neither superstar will seal a deal here before the end of the meetings on Wednesday.
One team’s high-ranking executive believes Ohtani will meet with clubs following the winter meetings; nevertheless, there are rumors that the bidding has already surpassed $500 million and may be approaching $600 million, as was reported here on Sunday.
Yamamoto will also hold discussions, according to a number of interested executives, after the teams depart on Wednesday.
The Padres insisted on right-handed pitching prospect Drew Thorpe and reliever-turned-starter Michael King in a six-man package on Friday, despite the fact that the Yankees have been leading the negotiations for Soto. Their request also included young pitchers Randy Vasquez and Randy Brito, as well as two more prospects, in exchange for Soto and center fielder Trent Grisham.
For all the most recent information on MLB signings, trades, rumors, and more, follow The Post’s coverage from the Nashville Winter Meetings.
In the interim, the Yankees appear determined to retain both King and Thorpe.
One side would have to make a significant concession in order to quickly reach an agreement, as it is unlikely that they would completely give up on either of the pitchers. Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, who is well-liked across the club, is rumored to be particularly fond of King.
Rumor has it that the Padres have received bids for Soto from roughly five clubs. Given his probable $32 million arbitration pay and the extreme unlikelihood that he would quickly sign a deal with an acquiring team, Soto’s market is fairly constrained.
The fact that two of those teams are reportedly in the running for Ohtani’s job complicates things further. Not many teams are able to pay both Soto and Ohtani’s salaries.
These two teams, along with the Dodgers, Cubs, and current Angels, are thought to be the Blue Jays and Giants, who seem to be among the Ohtani finalists. Naturally, there were also rumors about a real mystery team.
Regarding Yamamoto, it is understandable that it will take time to narrow down that huge field given the interest shown by all big-market teams. This is a very improbable place for that to occur.