Fernando Tatis Jr. batting for Juan Soto's Padres stay - “I want Juan Soto in San Diego”

The San Diego Padres are still hopeful about Juan Soto's long-term deal before the offseason ends. Still, it seems like the 25-year-old Dominican Republic athlete will join a different team before the 2024 season.

Juan Soto made his debut in 2018 against the LA Dodgers. He was a part of the Washington Nationals for five seasons until he was traded along with Josh Bell to the San Diego Padres in 2022. In 2023, Soto agreed to a one-year deal worth $23 million to avoid arbitration.

Fernando Tatis Jr., the star player for the Padres, shares his desire to play with Soto amid ongoing trade rumors.

"I want Juan Soto in San Diego... Both of us producing at the highest level we can, it will be something special." Tatis Jr. said.

Despite Tatis Jr. describing their connection as "special," both players have only played together for one season. Tatis was injured and suspended for PED use last year, which meant that he couldn't play with Soto. As a result, they have not yet appeared in a postseason game together.

Apart from Soto and Tatis Jr., the Padres have little to no depth in the outfield, with Jose Azocar on the bench and Tucupita Marcano's fitness in doubt. This means that if they decide to release Soto, they will have a difficult time finding a suitable replacement.

Soto is set to become a free agent at the end of 2024, unless a long-term agreement is reached. Taking into account the Padres' financial situation and the estimated salaries of their players in 2024, which include long-term contracts for Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr., Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish, Jake Cronenworth, and Robert Suarez, it may be a wise decision to trade him.

A recap of Juan Soto’s 2023 season

Juan Soto had an impressive regular season, playing in every game with a batting slashline of .275/.410/.519. Moreover, he hit 35 home runs, had 109 RBIs, and had a.930 OPS.

He started in the 2023 All-Star game and won the Silver Slugger award as an outfielder, along with Ronald Acuna Jr. from the Braves and Mookie Betts from the Dodgers.

While many teams are interested in acquiring Soto, he is regarded as a top trade target for the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays.