The San Diego Padres acquired superstar outfielder Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals ahead of Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline.
The Padres also received first baseman Josh Bell in the deal, which significantly upgrades the second-place team in the National League West.
Considered the prize of Tuesday’s trade deadline, Soto is batting .246 with an .894 OPS and has 21 home runs with 46 RBIs this season. Bell is batting .301 with an .87 OPS and has 14 home runs with 57 RBIs.
According to reports, the original deal was supposed to send veteran first baseman Eric Hosmer to the Nationals, but his no-trade list includes Washington. Hosmer elected to pass on joining the Nationals. Instead, left-handed power hitter Luke Voit was added to complete the deal and will head to Washington, according to reports.
The Nationals are receiving left-hander MacKenzie Gore, right-hander Jarlin Susana, shortstop C.J. Abrams and outfielders Robert Hassell III and James Wood.
The deal is similar to one the Nationals made last year, when they sent Max Scherzer to the Los Angeles Dodgers and the trade was finalized to also include shortstop Trea Turner. Washington received a haul of prospects that included catcher Keibert Ruiz.
The Dodgers and Padres are set for a three-game series at Los Angeles starting Friday after San Diego completes the current five-game home series against the Colorado Rockies.
A two-time All-Star, Soto reportedly rejected a 15-year, $440 million extension offer from the Nationals last month. Trade negotiations began in earnest from there, with Soto going on to appear in the All-Star Game, while also winning the Home Run Derby, in the interim.
While Hosmer ultimately was traded to the Red Sox, Voit now returns to the East Coast after hitting 13 home runs with 48 RBIs for the Padres in 2022 after spending his previous four seasons with the New York Yankees. Voit, 31, is a career .258 hitter with an .838 OPS and has 86 home runs and 251 RBIs in six seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Yankees and Padres.
In Gore, the Nationals will receive a pitcher who has been impressive at times during his rookie season but currently is on the injured list with elbow soreness. The 23-year-old was 3-1 with a 1.71 ERA over the first eight games of the season but trailed off from there and is 4-4 with a 4.50 ERA in 16 appearances (13 starts).
Abrams, 21, also is a rookie this season, batting .232 with two home runs and 11 RBIs in 46 games. He started 28 games at shortstop with regular shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. still out following a motorcycle crash in the offseason.
Hassell, 20, was considered the Padres’ top prospect by MLB.com, while Wood, 19, was considered San Diego’s No. 3 prospect. Both players are at the Class-A level. Susana, 18, is a native of the Dominican Republic who is getting his professional start at the Arizona Complex League this summer.
Soto’s arrival comes one day after the Padres acquired All-Star closer Josh Hader from the Milwaukee Brewers for left-hander Taylor Rogers, right-hander Dinelson Lamet and two prospects.
–Field Level Media
