San Diego Padres agree to trade for Washington Nationals slugger Juan Soto, sources say

The San Diego Padres have agreed to a deal to acquire superstar outfielder Juan Soto and first baseman Josh Bell from the Washington Nationals, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

Soto has been informed that he's being traded to the Padres, a source told ESPN, which means there are other versions of the deal that could be executed if San Diego first baseman Eric Hosmer doesn't remove Washington from his no-trade list.

If the deal is completed, the price is far from cheap. Sources told ESPN that the return package from the Padres includes left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore, outfielder Robert Hassell III, shortstop C.J. Abrams, outfielder James Wood, right-handed pitcher Jarlin Susana and another player — possibly Hosmer.

Soto, a two-time All-Star who won this year's Home Run Derby, would enrich the Padres with a historically talented 23-year-old hitter whose early-career peers are almost all Hall of Famers. He will benefit greatly from joining shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. and third baseman Manny Machado near the top of the Padres' lineup.

The path from Soto turning down a recent 15-year, $440 million contract offer from the Nationals to agreeing to a deal with the Padres was quick and linear. The Nationals did not want to raise their offer. San Diego, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the St. Louis Cardinals matched up best with Washington's desire for young talent.

The interested teams and observers alike regarded the opportunity to trade for a player of Soto's caliber as a once-in-a-generation event, though most teams did not have the requisite talent to enter the fray for a star who doesn't reach free agency until after the 2024 season.

As alluring as the club control might be to the Padres, what matters most is what Soto does