Yankees, Padres have talked trade involving former World Series champ

After missing the playoffs following disappointing seasons, both the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres are going to be shaking up their rosters this offseason. New York will be seeking pitching and a left-handed bat, while San Diego will reportedly be focused on cutting payroll. Naturally, Juan Soto's name has repeatedly come up in conversations surrounding both teams. 

While it's still early, the Yankees and Padres have at least had a preliminary conversation about a potential trade, according to SNY's Andy Martino. The two sides have not re-engaged in discussions since. 

Soto has batted .265/.405/.488 with 41 HR and 125 RBI since the Padres acquired him from Washington midway through the 2022 season. Baseball-Reference has him worth 7.4 WAR in that stretch. 

There's no questioning Soto's value on the field, and while all 30 teams should have interest in adding him to their roster, few will be able to do so. He is under contract for only one more season before he'll reach free agency. There is very little reason to believe he'll consider signing an extension with a new team at this point with the open market so close. 

Additionally, Soto's salary for that lone season is projected to be just above $30 million. The Padres could contribute cash in a deal in an effort to get a better return, but their whole motivation for trading Soto in the first place is to limit expenses, making that unlikely. 

All of this combined will limit San Diego's potential return. 

Circling back to the Yankees' interest, Martino notes that the club has been hesitant to move their top prospects in recent years. It's unclear who the Padres may have expressed interest in or even if conversations got as far as exchanging names. 

New York finished the 2023 season with an 82-80 record, 19 games behind the division-winning Orioles. The Yankees have multiple needs they need to address this offseason. Soto would certainly be a fit, but a deal between the two clubs is unlikely.