Juan Soto Trade Rumors Heating Up Amid Nationals' Struggles

The Washington Nationals were the talk of last year's trade deadline as multiple superstars including Max Scherzer and Trea Turner were dealt. There's a possibility they employ a similar strategy this time around, but with an ever bigger name. Juan Soto trade rumors are starting to heat up this season according to ESPN's Buster Olney.

Washington Nationals Trade Rumors

It's important to give some context here as to why the Nationals would trade a 23-year-old that has already made won a NL batting title. Washington's front office has a lot working against it right now considering the team is up for sale and general manager Mike Rizzo is in the final year of his contract.

There's also issues with Soto's salary. He is earning $17.1 million in what is his first season of arbitration eligibility and that number will likely skyrocket in 2023. Soto then becomes a free agent after the 2024 season and talks of a possible contract extension have all but stalled at this point.

No matter what, trading for Soto this summer could easily alter the future of any MLB franchise. The kid nicknamed "Childish Bambino" owns a career slash line of .297/.428/.544 and has smacked 106 home runs in 502 games played. He finished runner-up for the NL MVP award just last season, too.

There's no doubt that the Nationals would get an absolutely massive package in return for Soto, so it comes down to whether or not they can lock him into a long-term deal. Cutting ties and starting over with a fresh batch of promising prospects would be a big statement move for a rebuilding team.

While the trade deadline may still be two months away, it's never too early for a team with a 12-26 record to start feeling out the market. Washington remains a top team to watch in trade talks.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.