"No, Juan Soto isn't getting traded this season" - MLB writer puts Juan Soto trade rumors to rest, Washington Nationals fans get much needed relief 

The 2022 season has been the worst year in recent memory for Juan Soto's Washington Nationals. Their pitching is in shambles, they reside in the cellar of the National League East and the team is the most unstable its been in about a decade. At the beginning of the season, owners Ted and Annette Lerner announced they would be searching for a suitable buyer as they sold the team that they helped bring to Major League Baseball. All of this was expected by Washington Nationals fans; it's part of the rebuild to make the team better. However, the team wasn't prepared for the trade rumors surrounding superstar outfielder and the face of the Washington Nationals franchise, Juan Soto.

Juan Soto was a key member of the Washington Nationals team that won the 2019 World Series

His ascension to greatness took a great deal of sting out of Bryce Harper's departure to their National League East rival, the Philadelphia Phillies. At this point in his career, the young outfielder is on pace for a mythical career as he has an OPS of .972, despite getting off to an immensely cold start.

New York Mets v Washington Nationals

As the team jettisoned star shortstop Trea Turner and legendary ace Max Scherzer to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2021 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline, the fans pinned all of their love and hope on Juan Soto, which made the gut punch of trade rumors all the more devistating for the Washington faithful. In fact, rumors were that San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford's wife (who is the sister of Gerritt Cole of the New York Yankees) was personally recruiting the superstar.

The Crawford family would love to have Juan Soto on the #SFGiants.

This isn't the first time Soto's future in DC was questioned. It was rumored that he turned down a contract extension in excess of $300 million prior to the start of the 2022 campaign. Thankfully, for Nats fans, the rumors appear not to have weight, as Grant Brisbee reported that Soto will be staying put for now.

No, Juan Soto isn't getting traded this season. Yes, it's a fun enough idea to write about, and I'm grateful for the content.

Nationals fans can rest easy now, although this won't be the last time they hear Soto's name and rumors. The biggest relief for Washington Nationals fans will come when Soto signs an extension.