A pair of American League squads are reportedly in the mix to make a play for Nationals superstar Juan Soto ahead of the trade deadline.
According to Tom Verducci, “The Guardians and Rays are among the teams who could push to acquire the [power-hitting outfielder] with the MLB trade deadline one week away.”
Per Verducci:
In addition to the trade package, Soto will cost a team about $5.3 million for the remainder of this season and about $55 million for his final two arbitration seasons. … Every team with the hope of winning the World Series in this three-year window must be in on Soto—including the Guardians and Rays.
Cleveland and Tampa Bay? Yes. The pool is that deep.
The longtime baseball writer also notes that teams like the Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox and Cubs are never out of the picture when it comes to a bidding war for a star.