The San Diego Padres are highly anticipated to dangle a contract extension on slugger Juan Soto, although anything can happen - including an MLB trade.
Although he says it should not be taken seriously, Padres general manager A.J. Preller suggests anything is possible.
"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," the 46-year-old MLB executive said, per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.
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
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The Padres know they must act fast if they intend to keep the three-time All-Star. Soto will hit free agency after the 2024 season, a reason why Preller and the Padres are aggressively trying to seal the deal with him, USA Today reported.
Soto has one year left in his current deal, and there are suggestions that the Padres may move him this winter. One reason is that San Diego is looking to cut its payroll.
The Padres are already burdened with big-deal commitments to Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Xander Bogaerts. But given how the 24-year-old outfielder has managed to fit in with the team in Year 2, it would be foolish to ponder the thought of losing the Dominican to free agency for practically nothing, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
"He's a dynamic offensive force. The ability to get on base and do damage is, if not one of the best, maybe the best in all of baseball," Preller quipped.
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