With the Winter Meetings beginning on Sunday, San Diego Padres slugger Juan Soto may soon be on the move. The Padres appear to be intent on trading him.
Soto is hoping to go to a contender that has the ability to sign him to a long-term contract extension. In that case, look for larger-market teams to be the ones in play for the Padres slugger.
Something could end up happening in the next couple of days with the meetings beginning soon.
With that in mind, here are three teams that could fit the criteria Soto is looking for and trade for the slugger.
3. San Francisco Giants
The Giants have proven that they are more than willing to spend a hefty amount of money. Last offseason, they were close to signing a deal with Aaron Judge before he went back to the New York Yankees at the last minute.
San Francisco also came close with Carlos Correa before team doctors expressed concerns over his physical.
Soto obviously is not a free agent, but if they're willing to spend the money, they are also very likely willing to give up the prospects it would take to land Soto.
Keep in mind however that trades within divisions are exceptionally rare. But with the Giants reportedly in on Shohei Ohtani, it's very possible that they could pivot to Soto if they are unable to sign the two-way star.
The Giants do have money to spend, as evidenced by their pursuits of Judge and Correa, so Soto could potentially be given an extension.
San Francisco does need a power bat in the middle of their lineup. They may ultimately lose Joc Pederson in free agency, and while they have Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto, they could use a little bit more power in their lineup.
Soto would certainly fit the bill and give the Giants a legitimate shot to contend for an NL West title for the first time since 2021.
2. Chicago Cubs
Speaking of teams who need middle-of-the-order bats, the Chicago Cubs would also fit the bill. They may end up losing National League Comeback Player of the Year Cody Bellinger in free agency. But they do have the prospect capital to make a deal with the Padres for Soto.
If Soto is acquired by the North Siders, the rest of the NL Central would essentially be put on notice. It would also be the perfect counter to the St. Louis Cardinals signing Sonny Gray earlier this week and signal an arms race between the two historic NL rivals.
The Cubs came very close to reaching the postseason, finishing with a record of 83-79 and falling just one game short of the third and final Wild Card spot, which was won by the eventual National League champion Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cubs clearly have big goals for 2024 and are hoping to actually return to the playoff field for the first time in a full season since 2018. Soto has postseason experience and could be just what the Cubs need to snap their skid of three straight years out of the playoffs.
Expect the North Siders to be busy.
1. New York Yankees
Perhaps no team is better positioned to acquire Soto than the New York Yankees.
New York experienced a rarity this season, as they finished with just 82 wins and fell short of the postseason for the first time since 2016. One major problem they have run into is their lack of left-handed bats.
The Yankees are very right-handed heavy, with their only left-handed hitter being Anthony Rizzo. The right trade would give them their much-needed left-handed power bat.
It would take a haul for certain, but New York has plenty of options to choose from in terms of who to trade. They could ship off Oswaldo Cabrera, Oswald Peraza, or even top prospects Clayton Beeter and Jasson Dominguez.
That will be the difficult part. New York is going to have to part ways with some valuable players who are Major League-ready in order to satisfy the Padres' needs. New York has money to spend as well, so they could very easily find a way to ink the slugger to a long-term contract extension.
