Will Juan Soto sign an extension with the San Diego Padres? Why Soto/Bell trade is more risk than reward

The San Diego Padres received the prized jewel of the trade market in Juan Soto. The lingering question the baseball world is pondering is, will the duo of Juan Soto and Josh Bell re-sign with their current club?

In this piece, that very question is the basis for the argument that this trade poses more of a risk than a reward. The answer to numerous lingering uncertainties could be the determining factor in the San Diego Padres' near and distant future.

How the Juan Soto trade is risking San Diego Padres' future

Arizona Diamondbacks v San Diego Padres

Contract uncertainties of acquired players

There's a reason players on expiring contracts don't normally garner top-dollar returns. Though Soto's contract isn't set to expire till the end of 2023, those long-term uncertainties are enough to scare off most teams. Not many teams are willing to sell the farm without those long-term boxes checked.

Unlike Juan Soto, Josh Bell's contract is up at the end of the 2022 season. Furthermore, Bell's current $10 million dollar salary is due for a sizeable raise, even though he'll be 30 by the start of next season.

Both factors force one to question whether they can retain both Bell and Soto. Is Josh Bell even on San Diego's radar beyond this season?

The even bigger question is, does Juan Soto even want to remain a Padre? Sure, the San Diego Padres may be willing to throw the bank at Soto as their chairmain blatantly confirmed.

But so were the Washington Nationals, and we all know how that ended. If Soto doesn't wish to remain a Friar, no amount of money is going to change that. Could both Bell and Soto be a shorter marriage than the Friars intended?

The MLB sharks are circling 2024 free agency on their calendar in anticipation of the outcome of this story.

A sacrificed future

C.J. Abrams #77 of the San Diego Padres

The Padres got a bill haul at the deadline, but also surrendered an equally large shipment to acquire the Soto/Bell duo in the process.

The package consists of three first round selections, including top prospects Mackenzie Gore and C.J. Abrams. At face value, the unproven status of these prospects makes this trade a very obvious Padres win for the here and now.

The prospects they shipped to Washington may even end up being a bust. However, this package could just as easily come back to bite them long-term.

An aging core

Speaking of trading away future assets, the Padres' core isn't getting any younger. Shipping off your farm system when your core players are well into their 30s or on the brink of 30 is not an ideal setup. Come next season, key hitters such as Profar, Machado, Bell (if re-signed), and Drury will all be over the age of 30. Not to mention Cronenworth will be knocking on 30's door next season.

Outside of Tatis Jr, the Padres don't have much youth in their batting order. With that in mind, the Friars may be missing some or all of the prospects they shipped to Washington in 2-5 seasons. Right now, the trade is a big reward.

But down the line, could San Diego end up reaping the consequences of the future they sacrificed?