MLB All-Star Juan Soto has turned down a 15-year, $440 million contract offer from the Washington Nationals. The biggest contract in MLB history.
Soto, 23, is arguably the most decorated young slugger of his generation.
At the age of 19 Soto produced a remarkable rookie year in 2018, hitting.292/.406/.517 with 22 home runs. Soto assisted the Nationals in winning the World Series the next year by hitting 34 home runs and ending the season with an on-base percentage that was higher than.400. Soto posted a ridiculous 1.185 OPS in the Covid-shortened 2020 season before posting a.999 OPS in 151 games the previous season.
He is known for his all-time great batting eye and impressive raw power.
Soto is under team control for the remainder of this season and the following two years, and then he becomes a free agent, however, the Washington Nationals offer $440 million which exceeded Mike Trout’s 12-year, $426.5 million contract for the most guaranteed money in the history of the sport, was turned down by Soto, and according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Washington is now placing him on the trade block after making what appears to be its best and final offer.
Rosenthal reports the Nationals now believe they will never be able to sign him. Soto is represented by Scott Boras. While it’s interesting that Soto declined the highest guaranteed salary in MLB history, it must be acknowledged that the Nationals’ offer here qualifies as a low-ball.
If Soto accepted that deal, he’d be making George Springer money, who is currently the 16th highest paid player in the league. Beating Trout’s $37 million per year should be the expectation in any extension talks with Soto. With this report coming out, the Nationals can trade him even though they aren’t paying him what he is really worth.
The 2022 MLB trade deadline is Aug. 2
A Soto trade may not likely happen soon. He would be under the management of his new team for the following three postseason series if he were dealt at the deadline this year, the Athletic reports.
This year, the Nationals are merely 30-62. At the time of this publication, that is baseball’s worst record.
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