The San Diego Padres' Ha-Sung Kim, 28, may not have the best big bat next season.
Kim's teammate, Juan Soto (25), has been the subject of trade speculation. After exploding for a .275 batting average, .410 on-base percentage, .519 slugging percentage, and .930 OPS this year with 35 home runs, 102 RBIs, and 12 doubles, Soto is one of the best hitters in the league. He's also proven his durability by starting all 162 games this year, and he's shown great initiative by leading the National League in walks for the third straight year. On top of that, he's only 25 years old, so it's safe to say that his best years are yet to come.
However, the Padres are looking to trade the slugger. They have a realistic choice to make.
The Padres started the year on a high note, but the end result was a shocking postseason exit. Soto, Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts made up the "Big Four," and it was devastating to see them not only fail to win the World Series, but also miss out on fall baseball. 카지노
Inevitably, the more star-studded a team is, the more responsibility it has to bear. After this year's heartbreaking failure, San Diego decided it was time to restructure internally. And trading Soto is the first step.
On the 5th (KST), CBS Sports ranked the most likely players to be traded. At the top of the list was Soto.
"San Diego plans to reduce the team's payroll to about $200 million next year," CBS Sports said. That would require some work even with Josh Hader and Blake Snell set to become free agents," and "Trading Soto would mean clearing more than $30 million. Soto is expected to make over $30 million next season."
On top of that, Soto is a free agent after next season. Soto is also a client of Scott Boras, aka the Devil's Agent.
"Soto, a client of Boras, is a year away from free agency and is unlikely to sign an extension without testing the free agent market," said CBS Sports. "San Diego could get a very good package of young players for him. It's the simplest way to reduce the team's payroll and add younger, more promising players." Regardless, Soto is undeniably a productive hitter. For now, teams looking to bolster their offense next season should definitely keep an eye on Soto.
"The huge salary and one-year deadline mean that only playoff contenders can make a deal," said CBS Sports, "and right now, the Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and New York Yankees fit the bill. The Baltimore Orioles should be in the mix, and you can't rule out the Philadelphia Phillies or Texas Rangers swooping in." The expectation is that a team that can afford Soto's price tag will be able to engage in a "trade war" next season while still trying to make the postseason.
Soto is now being called the most tradeable player in the league. At this point, the chances of him being in a San Diego uniform next season are close to zero. Kim Ha-sung is also a free agent after next season, so he could be traded, but his $8 million salary next year is close to the "market value" of Soto's, making him even less likely to be traded than Soto.