Juan Soto-To-Yankees Talks Reportedly On Pause With MLB Winter Meetings In Nashville On Deck

There's widespread agreement around Major League Baseball that the San Diego Padres have no choice but to trade superstar outfielder Juan Soto.

San Diego is facing significant budgetary issues after needing to take out a substantial loan to make payroll expenses late in the 2023 season. Heading into 2024, the Padres extensive, and expensive, financial commitments have made lowering their obligations essentially a necessity. And given the contract situations of Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Manny Machado, Jake Cronenworth and Yu Darvish, Soto is the obvious trade candidate.

Rumors started flying in recent weeks that the New York Yankees had been the most aggressive team in discussions with the Padres, with new reports suggesting that a trade had become a near certainty.

READ: JUAN SOTO TRADE SEEMS TO BE A NEAR CERTAINTY AT WINTER MEETINGS

But a new report from the New York Post's Jon Heyman now suggests that the gap between what the Padres want and what the Yankees want to give is substantial. Substantial enough that Heyman says the Yankees have turned "some of their attention elsewhere -- at least for a little while."

That's not an encouraging sign for Yankees fans desperate for the team to improve a very mediocre 2023 offense.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 05: Juan Soto #22 of the San Diego Padres at bat during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at PETCO Park on September 05, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Where Else Could Juan Soto Go?

The market for Soto on a skill level, is essentially every team in the sport.

After a slow start in 2023, Soto rebounded to finish with 35 home runs, 12 steals, and a .275/.410/.519 batting line. Even with well below average defense, Soto had a 5.5 WAR season thanks to offensive production that was 55% better than league average. In his career, he's already racked up 28.4 WAR, averaging 5.5 win full seasons.

Oh, and he just turned 25 years old.

But Soto's set to reach free agency after the 2024 season, and set to make an estimated $33 million in arbitration. His performance, talent and upside are worth a huge prospect or MLB-ready return. But teams are loathe to give up substantial value for a one-year rental, no matter how talented. And many franchises won't pay his required salary, limiting his market even further.

The Yankees are set up to win now, and desperately need better hitters to pair with Aaron Judge. But they may not be willing to meet San Diego's justifiably high asking price, especially if it requires controllable major league talent. Especially because Soto, as a Scott Boras client, is unlikely to sign an extension before reaching free agency.

If not New York though, where? The Red Sox could be interested, as could the Chicago Cubs, with one of the game's best farm systems. The Dodgers and Giants would be fits, if San Diego's willing to trade Soto in the division.

Executives start arriving to the winter meetings on Sunday, so Brian Cashman and A.J. Preller will have the opportunity to see if they can get closer a deal. Yankees fans sure hope so.