What could a Mets Trade for Juan Soto look like?
Credit: Eric Hartline, USA TODAY Sports
Juan Soto is officially on the table.
According to The Athletics' Ken Rosenthal, the Washington Nationals are willing to entertain offers for the 23-year-old superstar after he turned down a 15-year, $440 million extension. The news has stirred a fervor in all 29 other fanbases. From photoshops to trade proposals and screams at general managers, one thing is clear: Every fanbase wants Soto on their team. That includes the New York Mets, whose fanbase has taken to Twitter with their ideas of a potential deal that would ship Soto from D.C. to Queens.
Yet if the Mets acquired Soto, what would a deal look like? What could make the Nationals willing to accept a trade that would make them willing to stomach sending Soto to their rival? Before a proposal can be made, the Nationals' needs should be established. With the 23rd-best farm system and only two top-100 prospects, according to MLB.com, it could be said the Nationals need prospects everywhere.
That broad stroke does little to address Washington's strengths or its already present youth movement. No one else emphasizes that more than rookie catcher Keibert Ruiz. Through 73 games, the 23-year-old has a .247/.308/.345 slash line and is third on the Nationals in wins above replacement (WAR). Likewise, Josiah Gray is showing promise with a 3.54 earned run average (ERA) over his last seven starts. In addition to Gray, pitchers Cade Cavalli, Cole Henry, and Jackson Rutledge are three of Washington’s top four prospects, according to MLB.com. And with five of their top prospects being pitchers, it’s the deepest position in their pool of prospects. However, That should not exclude the Nationals from seeking additional help, nor should it exclude pitchers from a potential proposal from the Mets.
As for the players still in the minors, the shortstop position belongs to Brady House. The 2021 first-round pick has played well in the minor leagues. In A-ball, House has posted a .278/.356/.375 slash with three home runs and 31 RBIs despite being almost two years younger than the average competition. Other than that, the Nationals are in need of help everywhere else. And so, without further ado, here’s the trade.
The Mets receive pitcher Stephen Strasburg and Soto. Meanwhile, the Nationals receive pitchers Matt Allan, Tylor Megill, and Calvin Ziegler, as well as third baseman Brett Baty, shortstop Ronny Mauricio, and outfielders Dominic Smith and Alex Ramirez. Noticeably not included in the trade is the Mets top prospect, catcher Francisco Álvarez. Initially, that would seem to make this proposal unrealistic, yet with Ruiz’s emergence and future, it’s hard to find a place for Álvarez on the Nationals.
Admittedly, the Nationals could stick Álvarez at the designated hitter position, a role the Mets themselves have considered giving the prospect when he arrives in the majors. But if Álvarez is included in the trade, he's locked at the DH for the rest of his career. Something especially true given he has no experience at another defensive position through three minor league seasons. And while Alvarez is the best Mets prospect, his inclusion in a trade would limit the number of players coming back to Washington.
Keep in mind that Alvarez is one of the best prospects in baseball. His addition would encapsulate a large chunk of the value needed to acquire Soto. And with Strasburg’s contract attached, the Nats cannot ask for the moon. As for the players the Nationals would receive in this potential trade, it’s an impressive haul. With Allan, Baty, Mauricio, Ramirez, and Ziegler, Washington would acquire five of New York’s top prospects, according to MLB.com’s rankings.
The established players in the proposal are nothing to scoff at either. Megill had a 2.43 ERA in his first six starts this season. And while he’s battled injuries since, the 26-year-old has showcased a tremendous skill set that could cement him as one of Washington’s better starters once he’s healthy. On the other hand, Smith is far less of a polished product despite his six seasons in the majors. Yet Smith is only two years removed from a 2020 season that saw him receive MVP votes. His chances of returning to that ballot are unlikely, but Washington can afford to give Smith a chance to see if he can sniff his potential.
As for the Mets' return, there’s not much else to say about Soto. Outside his rookie season, Soto's received MVP votes every year and won back-to-back silver sluggers. He’s one of the few players in the game that can warrant the type of haul that devastates one farm system and replenishes another. At one time, that could’ve been said about Strasburg. That time, however, has passed. Strasburg has made just eight starts since 2019. In those eight starts, he has a 6.89 ERA and has allowed 24 runs with only 28 strikeouts. Add onto it that Strasburg is under contract until the 2027 offseason and the arguably suppressed return from New York makes more sense.
While this package is reasonable at best, there’s one impediment. If the Nationals accepted this offer or one like it, they would be signing up to face Soto 19 times a season. In other words, they would subject themselves to the torture of Soto standing in their way of an NL East crown rather than standing amongst them in their pursuit. That idea hasn’t precluded the Mets as a possible suitor for Soto. SNY’s Andy Martino reported on July 17 that the Nationals see the Mets as one of a few fits for Soto should the right package emerge.
Until Soto is traded, teams and fanbases will brainstorm what that package might be while Washington contemplates a future without their franchise star.
