Juan Soto’s rejection of the Washington Nationals’ most recent long-term offer has prompted the team to consider trade offers, league sources told ESPN on Saturday.
According to sources, Soto declined a 15-year, $440 million deal that would have been the biggest baseball contract ever.
Before the summer lockout, Soto had previously disclosed to sources that he had turned down a 13-year, $350 million contract. After the 2024 season, he will be eligible to sign a free agent contract.
However, some team officials no longer think they will be able to reach any long-term agreement with Soto, according to The Athletic, which first reported on the most recent rejected contract offer and the Nationals being open to listening to prospective moves.
According to sources, if Soto were to think about accepting an extension from the Nationals, it would be of considerable length and have one of the highest average yearly values in the game. Based on the players’ 2022 salary, the $29.3 million per year offered by the Nationals would place them in only the 15th position.
Why Did He Turn Down 440 Million?
Soto expressed to reporters on Saturday his dissatisfaction with the team’s troubles, saying, “I don’t want to keep losing.”
Soto’s future in Washington is also affected by the Lerner family’s probable sale of the Nationals, who have been its owners since 2006. The Lerners said in April that they are looking at the prospect of selling the Nationals and that they have hired a company to find potential investors to purchase either all or a portion of the team.
