{"id":18844,"date":"2022-07-19T06:22:43","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T06:22:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/juan-soto-discusses-nationals-contract-offer-ahead-of-home-run-derby\/"},"modified":"2022-07-19T06:22:43","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T06:22:43","slug":"juan-soto-discusses-nationals-contract-offer-ahead-of-home-run-derby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/juan-soto-discusses-nationals-contract-offer-ahead-of-home-run-derby\/","title":{"rendered":"Juan Soto discusses Nationals&#8217; contract offer ahead of Home Run Derby"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div class=\"wpds-c-grBDNq hide-for-print mb-sm undefined\">\n<div class=\"PJLV PJLV-iAjpuP-css flex items-center pr-sm\" data-qa=\"article-actions\">\n<div class=\"wpds-c-fLphcs\"><button class=\"wpds-c-gNHrZC wpds-c-gNHrZC-bywHgD-variant-primary wpds-c-gNHrZC-biynoz-density-compact wpds-c-gNHrZC-hZSyid-isOutline-true wpds-c-gNHrZC-ejCoEP-icon-left wpds-c-gNHrZC-futxca-cv wpds-c-gNHrZC-ihhnWqF-css\"><button class=\"PJLV PJLV-igcOMTV-css\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\" fill=\"currentColor\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" role=\"img\" class=\"wpds-c-coakfw wpds-c-jsGDWQ focus-highlight flex items-center justify-center brad-lg pointer transition-400 ease-in-out transition-colors\" aria-label=\"Comment on this story\" iconstyle=\"[object Object]\"><title>Comment on this story<\/title><path d=\"M14 14V2H2v9.47h8.18L12.43 13ZM3 10.52V3h10v9.23l-2.5-1.66Z\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p>Comment<\/p>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"teaser-content grid-center\">\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">LOS ANGELES \u2014 The clearest picture of just how much Juan Soto&#8217;s suddenly uncertain future with the Washington Nationals is dominating the baseball world wasn&#8217;t caught on any of the half-dozen cameras that were set up long before Soto took his place in front of his name plate Monday afternoon, before he won the Home Run Derby later that night.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">Those cameras were focused on Soto, not the horde of reporters waiting for him, so they missed <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/chelsea_janes\/status\/1549100675430133760\" target=\"_blank\">the trio of men<\/a> who lingered just out of frame, to Soto&#8217;s left.  His agent, Scott Boras, and two of Boras&#8217;s assistants stood there, mere feet away.  Dozens of Boras clients have sat through sessions such as those in all-star weeks such as these.  Boras hasn&#8217;t been that close for many of them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">The obvious implication was that Boras and his staff felt it necessary to be nearby as the 23-year-old fielded unwelcome questions about the record $440 million he turned down from the Nationals and whether Washington will listen to trade offers ahead of the Aug.  2 deadlines.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">A week or so ago, Soto wouldn&#8217;t have had to spend his all-star break answering questions such as these.  But when details of the Nationals&#8217; contract offer came out, Soto was thrust into a swirl of rumors and speculation for which he says he did not ask.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">\u201cIt was pretty tough.  Pretty frustrating.  I try to keep my stuff private, don&#8217;t try to throw stuff out there,\u201d Soto said of the leak.  \u201cIt feels really bad, but at the end of the day we just have to keep playing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p><span class=\"font--article-body font-copy hide-for-print ma-0 pb-md db italic interstitial\">Svrluga |  Juan Soto is at the center of baseball&#8217;s swirl.  That&#8217;s not going away soon.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">A month and a half ago, Washington General Manager Mike Rizzo said publicly the Nationals would not be trading Soto.  Soto said no one with the Nationals has explained to him what changed since then, though the obvious catalyst appears to be turning down the $440 million deal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">\u201cI haven&#8217;t talked with anybody to tell me how that changed or what was the mind-set, but definitely it&#8217;s like you say, a couple weeks ago they were saying they would never trade me and now all these things come out,\u201d Soto said.  \u201cIt feels real uncomfortable.  You don&#8217;t know what to trust.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">Asked if the past few days have changed his relationship with the Nationals, Soto said, \u201cNever.\u201d  He repeated things he told reporters in Washington this past weekend \u2014 namely that he doesn&#8217;t have control over the situation and just wants to play baseball.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">Soto never seemed overly burdened at all during the derby.  He pumped up Albert Pujols early, then beat him in the semifinals (after eliminating Jos\u00e9 Ram\u00edrez in the first round, flipping his bat with classic Soto swagger as he advanced).  His mechanics deteriorated round by round, swing by swing, as he grew visibly fatigued.  But he didn&#8217;t seem to mind a bit, leaning every ounce of his strength into every final-round swing until he had delivered enough home runs to best Julio Rodr\u00edguez in the final.  And when ESPN&#8217;s Buster Olney asked Soto what he wanted for his future as he hoisted the derby trophy, Soto said he was n&#8217;t even thinking about it, that he won the championship \u201cfor the Nationals.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p><span class=\"font--article-body font-copy hide-for-print ma-0 pb-md db italic interstitial\">What questions do you have about Juan Soto&#8217;s future?  Ask The Post.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">But earlier in the day, he seemed like a man bracing for change, should it come.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">\u201cCan&#8217;t do anything about it.  I have my hands tied.  I&#8217;m just going to play as hard as I can and play baseball.  Forget about everything else,\u201d he said.  \u201cI don&#8217;t make the decisions.  They make the decisions.  If they want to make the decision, I&#8217;ve got to pack my stuff and go.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">Soto has already dealt with swift change once in his young career.  He began his Nationals tenure surrounded by players such as Max Scherzer, Trea Turner and Anthony Rendon.  By August of last season, he was the last star standing, a relative veteran not far removed from being the one following the veterans&#8217; lead.  He arrived as a young star on a World Series contender and now finds himself as the best player on the majors&#8217; worst team.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">\u201cIt&#8217;s very frustrating, but at the end of the day, we&#8217;re just trying our best.  For me, I&#8217;m trying my best.  I know those guys are trying their best.  But things just aren&#8217;t going our way,\u201d Soto said.  \u201cWe&#8217;re just going to try to keep playing hard, keep trying to find out the pieces we&#8217;re missing and get back on track.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p><span class=\"font--article-body font-copy hide-for-print ma-0 pb-md db italic interstitial\">Juan Soto&#8217;s diamond &#8216;Soto shuffle&#8217; necklace was months in the making<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">Reporters from the New York media corps asked Soto several times whether he wanted to play in New York.  He never really gave them what they were looking for, never flinched and suggested he would rather be there.  In fact, when asked about playing in New York, Soto threw some subtle jabs the Mets&#8217; way.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">\u201cPlaying in New York against the Mets, I love it.  I love to play against them, hit the ball hard.  You see my numbers in that field \u2014 it&#8217;s just amazing,\u201d said Soto, who has a 1,173 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 30 career games at Citi Field.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">As for that short porch in Yankee Stadium, the one that entices so many left-handed hitters with the possibility of a few extra homers each year:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">\u201cI have two homers there, but I never hit a ball that way,\u201d said Soto, whose 1,256 OPS in four games there is his best in any stadium.  \u201cTo me, it&#8217;s another thing to play against the Yankees.  It&#8217;s very cool to hear the noise and just shut it down.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">This week, and probably for the next few weeks, Soto will have to shut out plenty of noise.  He admitted he wished he didn&#8217;t have to deal with contract negotiations during the season, even as he agreed to Boras and his staffers and suggested they take care of everything.  They stuck close to Soto on Monday in the hours before he competed in his second Home Run Derby and claimed his first title.  The rumors and the questions will stick close for the foreseeable future, too.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-body\" data-qa=\"article-body\">\n<p data-qa=\"drop-cap-letter\" data-el=\"text\" class=\"font-copy font--article-body gray-darkest ma-0 pb-md\">\u201cHere and there, sometimes, it can be a little bit on your mind, but you can&#8217;t blame that [for] your stats or anything you do on the field,\u201d Soto said.  \u201cAt the end of the day, I just try to forget about everything outside for three hours and try to be the 12 years old I&#8217;ve been doing this since, playing baseball as hard as I can.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"b bt bc-offblack dn-ns hide-for-print\" data-testid=\"mostRead\" subscriptions-section=\"content\"\/><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Comment on this story Comment LOS ANGELES \u2014 The clearest picture of just how much Juan Soto&#8217;s suddenly uncertain future with the Washington Nationals is dominating the baseball world wasn&#8217;t caught on any of the half-dozen cameras that were set up long before Soto took his place in front of his name plate Monday afternoon, &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/juan-soto-discusses-nationals-contract-offer-ahead-of-home-run-derby\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Juan Soto discusses Nationals&#8217; contract offer ahead of Home Run Derby<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":18505,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/juan-soto-really-uncomfortable-with-nationals-trade-rumors\/","url_meta":{"origin":18844,"position":0},"title":"Juan Soto &#8216;really uncomfortable&#8217; with Nationals trade rumors","date":"July 18, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Juan Soto is the talk of the town at MLB All-Star week amid the superstar's sudden availability. But the 23-year-old isn't thrilled about it. Just hours before competing in the 2022 Home Run Derby in Los Angeles on Monday, Soto shared his thoughts on the Washington Nationals' decision to entertain\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"Juan Soto","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Juan-Soto-trade-rumors.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4175,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/washington-nationals-star-juan-soto-says-hes-to-be-avoided-major-calf-injury\/","url_meta":{"origin":18844,"position":1},"title":"Washington Nationals star Juan Soto says he&#8217;s to be avoided major calf injury","date":"July 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"WASHINGTON -- Washington Nationals star Juan Soto said an MRI on his left calf showed no damage after he left Sunday's game against the Miami Marlins because of tightness.\"Everything was fine,\" Soto said. \"We gonna be good. They said it's just a little tight, so just going to take a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19501,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/washington-nationals-didnt-charter-flight-for-juan-soto\/","url_meta":{"origin":18844,"position":2},"title":"Washington Nationals didn&#8217;t charter flight for Juan Soto","date":"July 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The Juan Soto saga took another weird turn Monday night.The current-but-possibly-on-the-trade-block outfielder for the Washington Nationals arrived less than 24 hours before the Home Run Derby after Soto flew commercially to Los Angeles following the team's series against the Atlanta Braves in DC That drew the ire of Soto's agent,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16432,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/juan-soto-rejects-440-million-offer-nationals-will-entertain-trade-proposals-sources\/","url_meta":{"origin":18844,"position":3},"title":"Juan Soto rejects $440 million offer;  Nationals will entertain trade proposals: Sources","date":"July 16, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Juan Soto is available. The All-Star outfielder recently turned down an offer from the Washington Nationals that would have made him the highest-paid player in baseball history, and the team now plans to entertain trade offers for him, a seismic development leading to the Aug. 2 deadlines. Soto, 23, rejected\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19988,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/nationals-refused-to-charter-juan-solo-flight-to-home-run-derby\/","url_meta":{"origin":18844,"position":4},"title":"Nationals refused to charter Juan Solo flight to Home Run Derby","date":"July 20, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The contentious relationship between Juan Soto and the Washington Nationals continues to sour.Less than 24-hours before Soto hoisted the 2022 Home Run Derby trophy at Dodger Stadium on Monday night, the 23-year-old outfielder was waiting in an airport for a commercial flight, all because the Nationals refused to charter a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":18683,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/yankees-gerrit-cole-wants-juan-soto-to-come-to-us\/","url_meta":{"origin":18844,"position":5},"title":"Yankees&#8217; Gerrit Cole wants Juan Soto &#8216;to come to us&#8217;","date":"July 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"LOS ANGELES \u2014 More than 70 of the best baseball players in the world converged at Dodger Stadium on Monday in advance of Tuesday's Midsummer Classic. But only one drew a buzz quite like Juan Soto. The superstar outfielder, who could soon be new teammates with any number of his\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"Juan Soto was the center of attention in Los Angeles ahead of the All-Star Game","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/MLB-All-Star-Game-Baseball.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-apps\/imrs.php?src=https:\/\/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com\/public\/H5VHZXT5UNGYDA23EVKVWYPOX4.jpg&w=1440","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18844"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18844"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18844\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18844"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18844"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18844"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}