{"id":19248,"date":"2022-07-19T15:33:43","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T15:33:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/after-turning-down-440-million-juan-soto-just-wants-to-play\/"},"modified":"2022-07-19T15:33:43","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T15:33:43","slug":"after-turning-down-440-million-juan-soto-just-wants-to-play","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/after-turning-down-440-million-juan-soto-just-wants-to-play\/","title":{"rendered":"After Turning Down $440 Million, Juan Soto Just Wants to Play"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">LOS ANGELES \u2014 Be\u00edore Juan Soto met with reporters on Monday ahead of the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium the following day, he pulled out his cellphone and made a call.  A few moments later, his agent, Scott Boras, appeared, also on the phone.  With a few assistants in tow, Boras stood a few feet away from Soto as he answered questions, many of them about his future.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Soto, a 23-year-old Washington Nationals outfielder, is one of the biggest stars in the sport.  He is a two-time All-Star.  He won a batting title in 2020 and the World Series in 2019. In five seasons, he has 118 home runs and a .968 on-base plus slugging percentage.  Since his rookie season, in 2018, only seven players have accumulated more wins above replacement, according to FanGraphs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The Nationals have tried to sign Soto to a long-term contract extension, but those efforts have proved unsuccessful.  The latest proposal \u2014 a 15-year, $440 million extension, which would have been the largest contract in MLB history \u2014 was rejected.  As a result, reports emerged on Saturday that the Nationals would entertain trades for Soto, who reaches free agency in 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">How does a franchise properly assess and then acquire the talent needed in exchange for Soto?  And, in the first place, how does a team navigate the treacherous public relations battle of parting ways, either via free agency or a trade, with a popular young superstar?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cFor me now, I&#8217;m just concentrating on baseball,\u201d said Soto, who is hitting .250 with 20 home runs and a .901 OPS \u201cYou can&#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 and forget about anything else.  I don&#8217;t make the decisions.  They take the decisions.  If they want to make the decision, I got to just pack my stuff and go.  Now I&#8217;m going to keep playing baseball as hard as I can.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Soto was clearly peeved that the latest extension offer became public.  He said it was \u201cpretty tough and pretty frustrating because I try to keep my stuff private.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Asked if the Nationals and Soto would continue discussing an extension, Boras&#8217;s answer on Monday was telling.  He said, \u201cWhen we do these things, we want all of our discussions to be private.  We now know that they&#8217;re not, so I&#8217;m sure Juan will take that into advisement as he goes forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In June, Mike Rizzo, the Nationals&#8217; longtime general manager, said that the team was \u201cnot trading\u201d Soto and \u201cwe&#8217;ve made it clear to his agent and to the player.\u201d  On Monday, Soto said no one had told him why that had changed, if at all.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cIt feels really uncomfortable,\u201d he added.  \u201cYou don&#8217;t know what to trust.  But at the end of the day it&#8217;s out of my hands.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">But why would Soto reject such a large amount of money?<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cThis is a very unique setting,\u201d Boras said before alluding to Alex Rodriguez, the former star infielder.  \u201cI haven&#8217;t had a player that&#8217;s a superstar since A-Rod who is going to be a 25-26-year-old free agent.  They just don&#8217;t come along that often where you have that level of performance for their teams.  They offer clubs a surplus value that may be as much as a billion dollars in performance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Boras, who generally prefers that his clients establish their value in free agency rather than negotiate with just one team, added that baseball is about billions while players are about millions, and that Soto is \u201cat the top of the food chain.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">There are many complicating factors, though.  The Lerners, who own the Nationals, are entertaining offers to sell the team.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Since they won the 2019 World Series, the Nationals have not posted a winning season and have an MLB-worst 31-63 record this year.  They are in the midst of a rebuild and it is unclear how soon they will content again.  And last month, the Nationals exercised the contract options on Rizzo and Manager Dave Martinez, but those extensions are only through the 2023 season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Soto said he would like to get to know the new team owner and see what is on their mind and how to help the team win.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cHe&#8217;s in a position where he&#8217;s a huge asset to a major league franchise and that franchise is going to be sold,\u201d Boras said.  \u201cI don&#8217;t think anybody wants to work for someone they don&#8217;t know.  So it&#8217;s kind of a ghost contract.  We don&#8217;t know who&#8217;s going to pay it.  Consequently, when you&#8217;re a player like Juan, you&#8217;re a winning player and you want to make sure there&#8217;s a lot more things than dollars and cents involved and who you&#8217;re going to work for and where you&#8217;re going to be for the majority.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Soto said he had not been thinking about playing for another team and wanted to claim another title with the Nationals.  He called the team&#8217;s lack of winning \u201cvery frustrating.\u201d  He admitted that the negotiations and added attention have weighed on his mind.  He also said that he would probably want to pause in-season discussions because \u201cit&#8217;s very hard with all this talk and trying to make a winning team.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Soto, who signed with the Nationals out of his native Dominican Republic as a 16-year-old, insisted that his relationship with the team had not changed.  Time, though, will tell.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cI&#8217;ve been a National since Day 1,\u201d he said.  \u201cWhy should I want to change?  I&#8217;ve been here my whole life and my career.  I feel great where I&#8217;m at.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>LOS ANGELES \u2014 Be\u00edore Juan Soto met with reporters on Monday ahead of the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium the following day, he pulled out his cellphone and made a call. A few moments later, his agent, Scott Boras, appeared, also on the phone. With a few assistants in tow, Boras &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/after-turning-down-440-million-juan-soto-just-wants-to-play\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">After Turning Down $440 Million, Juan Soto Just Wants to Play<\/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":19988,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/nationals-refused-to-charter-juan-solo-flight-to-home-run-derby\/","url_meta":{"origin":19248,"position":0},"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":18844,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/juan-soto-discusses-nationals-contract-offer-ahead-of-home-run-derby\/","url_meta":{"origin":19248,"position":1},"title":"Juan Soto discusses Nationals&#8217; contract offer ahead of Home Run Derby","date":"July 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Comment on this storyCommentLOS ANGELES \u2014 The clearest picture of just how much Juan Soto's suddenly uncertain future with the Washington Nationals is dominating the baseball world wasn't caught on any of the half-dozen cameras that were set up long before Soto took his place in front of his name\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":19248,"position":2},"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":17616,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/what-scott-boras-is-demanding-in-any-new-juan-soto-deal\/","url_meta":{"origin":19248,"position":3},"title":"What Scott Boras is demanding in any new Juan Soto deal","date":"July 18, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"LOS ANGELES \u2014 The Nationals were said to be very disappointed superstar hitter Juan Soto rejected their record $440 million, 15-year bid as their people suggested to folks they felt they had a legitimate chance to lock him up. Meanwhile, Soto's camp was also upset as they believe the offer\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\/Braves-Nationals-Baseball-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":18683,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/yankees-gerrit-cole-wants-juan-soto-to-come-to-us\/","url_meta":{"origin":19248,"position":4},"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":[]},{"id":16870,"url":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/juan-soto-rejects-440-million-offer-nationals-will-explore-trade\/","url_meta":{"origin":19248,"position":5},"title":"Juan Soto rejects $440 million offer;  Nationals will explore trade","date":"July 17, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Comment on this storyCommentThe Washington Nationals will consider trading Juan Soto this month after he turned down a 15-year, $440 million offer made recently, according to four people with knowledge of the matter. Soto, a 23-year-old superstar, can reach free agency after the 2024 season, meaning the Nationals can keep\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Sports&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2022\/07\/18\/multimedia\/18mlb-allstar-top\/18mlb-allstar-top-facebookJumbo.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19248"}],"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=19248"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19248\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}