Juan Soto Next Team Odds: Mets & Yankees are Favored, Dodgers in the Mix

Where Will Juan Soto Play Next?

We’re in the midst of the MLB season with the trade deadline looming. Bad teams are looking to deal their valuable pieces in hopes of acquiring younger talent for the future. 

MLB teams generally won’t trade young stars under team control, but there are times that the relationship is so unsalvagable that it makes sense for both sides to move on. 

That’s the case for Juan Soto and the Washington Nationals. 

Soto is regularly seen as one of the best young players in MLB. He’s garnered MVP votes in each of the last three seasons while winning the Silver Slugger in each of the last two. He’s also made the All-Star team in each of the last two seasons. 

Soto is only hitting .250 with a .497 slugging percentage and a .901 OPS through 91 games in 2022. He owns 37 extra-base hits (20 home runs), 43 RBIs and 5 stolen bases this season.

This doesn’t tell the entire story, though, as teams don’t have to throw to Soto without anyone of note hitting behind him. 

It’s a bit shocking that the Nationals didn’t do everything in their power to keep Soto, but it looks like only a matter of time before he’s traded. 

Juan Soto Next Team Odds

The Safe Pick: New York Mets | +450 at PointsBet

The Mets spent plenty of money in the offseason to solidify that they have the potential to make a deep playoff run this season.

They’re currently in first in the NL East with a 58-35 record, sitting 2.5 games ahead of the Atlanta Braves. They rank second overall in the National League. 

The Mets added plenty of pitching in the offseason, and it’s paying off. They rank sixth in the league in team ERA (3.61) through 93 games. Jacob deGrom hasn’t thrown yet this season and Max Scherzer missed time with an injury.

It’s clear that pitching, specifically starters, isn’t a position of need. 

The Mets have found some offensive success this season, ranking sixth in MLB in average (.252). They need help with power, though, ranking 14th in the league in slugging percentage (.397).

More specifically, New York could use the addition of a dominant left-handed batter. 

The Mets have more than enough ammunition to land Soto. Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty are two great prospects that may be ready to come to MLB this season. Ronny Mauricio, Mark Vientos, Matt Allen and Alex Ramirez are other top prospects in the organization who could be packaged in the deal. 

New York also has the young MLB players that the Nationals want in return. One of the players that immediately stands out is David Peterson, who is enjoying an outstanding season for the Mets. 

Finally, they have the money to potentially get this trade done. Juan Soto is going to get a massive new contract, but Washington could ask for a trade partner to also take on the contract of Patrick Corbin.

He has one of the worst contracts in the league, but the Mets may be willing to take it on for a chance at the World Series. 

There are two major concerns with this trade, though. First, would the Nationals really trade a generational prospect to a divisional rival? Second, the Mets don’t seem as if they’re willing to move Alvarez or Baty, who would likely both need to be in a deal to get it done.

The Longshot Pick: Philadelphia Phillies | +1300 at PointsBet

The Philadelphia Phillies added plenty to their offense during the off-season, and it’s somewhat paid off to this point. They’re one of the better offensive teams, but they feature one of the worst defenses in the league.

Overall, they’ve posted a 49-43 record thus far. The Phillies are 8.5 games behind New York in the NL East. 

Soto doesn’t fill the biggest need in the Phillies roster, but that doesn’t mean they’d pass up on the generational talent. Philadelphia doesn’t have the high-end talent in its farm system like New York, but that doesn’t mean a lack of tradable options. 

Andrew Painter, Mick Abel and Logan O’Hoppe all rank as top-100 prospects in MLB. They have other options including Griff McGarry and Johan Rojas who could be considered in a deal as well. 

Arguably most importantly for their lack of high-end talent, the Phillies have several young MLB players that the Nationals could be interested in. Matt Vierling tops the list as an outfielder with Bryson Stott and Alec Bohn as infield options for this trade. 

Once again, there’s the issue of trading Soto to another team in the NL East. The Phillies will also likely be focusing more on pitching than another bat with their prospects. This is why it’s the longshot, right?

The Value Pick: Los Angeles Dodgers | +550 at PointsBet

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been a consistent contender for the World Series in recent years. They’re one of the top teams in the league once again this season, leading the NL West with a 60-30 record.

They also lead the National League at the moment, although it’s a close race. 

The Dodgers have found plenty of offensive success this season, but similar to other teams, they won’t ignore the chance to get a player as good as Soto. 

Los Angeles consistently has one of the best farm systems in MLB. They have several top-100 prospects, including Diego Cartaya, Bobby Miller, Michael Busch, Ryan Pepiot and others. There would be no shortage of offers Los Angeles could put together in a package. 

The Dodgers also have found MLB talent that they could potentially part ways with. Gavin Lux is the player who immediately comes to mind in this situation.

It’s important to note that Los Angeles has plenty of prospects in the minors who are nearly ready to be called up to the majors. 

The Dodgers are another big-market team that could take on the massive deal they’re going to have to give Soto. They could also potentially take on Corbin’s contract. 

It’s important to note that these teams recently worked together for the Max Scherzer and Trea Turner trade. That trade worked well for both sides as Keibert Ruiz and Josiah Gray look to be great future pieces for Washington. 

This trade depends on who the Dodgers would be able to part with. 

What Would it Cost to Acquire Juan Soto?

It’s relatively clear what the Nationals are looking for in a deal. They want several minor league prospects with some reports suggesting they want four of any team’s top-five prospects.

That likely depends on the team, though, as the Dodgers’ and Phillies’ prospects aren’t quite equal. 

They also want at least one MLB-ready player back. This essentially means a young player who is already playing in the league. Some of the players that immediately come to mind include David Peterson, Matt Vierling, and Gavin Lux. 

Finally, the Nationals will likely try to get their trade partner to take on Patrick Corbin’s contract. It’s one of the worst contracts in MLB, but Washington would do well to unload him on someone else. 

Juan Soto Trade Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers | +550 at PointsBet

There are several teams that make sense for a Soto trade. Although the Mets are the current favorites to land Soto, it doesn’t make all that much sense. They haven’t shown to be willing to move either of their top prospects and Washington may be hesitant to make a deal in their division. 

The Mets are likely to acquire someone at the trade deadline, though, and Jacob deGrom will be returning soon. This could put pressure on the Dodgers to improve their roster as well. 

The Dodgers and Nationals have recent history together with both teams doing well in their most recent trade. Los Angeles has more than enough prospects to get the deal done, and it feels like these two teams could help each other again this season.