Things simply did not work for the San Diego Padres in 2023, though it is not clear if major changes are coming. General manager AJ Preller did not suggest as much in a recent media availability, but he did not rule it out, either.
Preller was asked Wednesday about the status of star outfielder Juan Soto, who is set for free agency after the 2024 season. Preller said the team’s priority was to try to work out a long-term contract extension with Soto, but did not completely shut the door on a trade when asked about it.
A.J. Preller says the "first path" with Juan Soto this offseason is to work out an extension. Asked whether he'd consider trading Soto, Preller said, "We've never been a group that says no to anything. I wouldn't read into that. That's just kind of the way we operate."
— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) October 4, 2023
“We’ve never been a group that says no to anything. I wouldn’t read into that. That’s just kind of the way we operate,” Preller said.
The Padres are keeping their options open, at the very least, and they would be wise to do that. A report popped up during the season that the Padres might be willing to move Soto, though obviously nothing came of it at the time.
A Soto trade would fetch the Padres a lot of pieces, though perhaps not quite as much as what they gave up to acquire him in 2022. He will likely require a massive contract extension as well, though the Padres appear willing to try to figure out how to give him one.
Soto hit .275 for San Diego in 2023, hitting 35 home runs with 109 RBI.
