Latest Juan Soto rumors are worst-case scenario for Padres' World Series aspirations

The San Diego Padres' fanbase is already having a difficult time watching their biggest rival (Los Angeles Dodgers) and the team who landed Juan Soto (New York Yankees) go head-to-head in the 2024 World Series, and these latest rumors aren't going to make things any easier.

As every single Padres fan is aware, Soto will be a free agent this offseason and is sure to have several teams courting him with high-dollar offers. Though unlikely to break Shohei Ohtani's $700 million contract, the former Padres' outfielder will receive a mega-deal this winter that could top more than $50 million per season.

Unfortunately, one of the teams who'll be looking to land Soto this offseason is none other than the Padres' bitter rival, the Dodgers. According to MLB insider and New York Post columnist Jon Heyman, sources claim that "if he's interested," the Dodgers plan to make an offer for Soto this offseason.

Latest Juan Soto rumors are worst-case scenario for Padres' World Series aspirations

Padres fans already had to watch the farce that was Ohtani's deferred contract last winter, and now it's being reported that LA could be the landing spot for one of the top-5 players in the game? By the way, Ohtani's deal (of which 97% is deferred) is the only reason that the Dodgers would even be able to meet Soto's asking price.

If the Dodgers are fortunate enough to outbid the likes of the Yankees, San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, and Toronto Blue Jays, there's no sense in even playing 162 games next season. Just send the Commissioner's Trophy to 1000 Vin Scully Ave, Los Angeles, California and be done with it.

The Padres have gone out of the way in recent years trying to match the Dodgers step-for-step in the NL West. San Diego has traded for top-tier players from other organizations while also drafting, developing, and extending their own homegrown talent only to see LA outspend every organization in Major League Baseball and, for all intents and purposes, buy a World Series championship.

For the Padres sake, hopefully Soto finds the bright lights of New York more intriguing than the beaches in Southern California. Soto inking a deal with the Dodgers this winter wouldn't just be a worse-case scenario for the Padres, but all of MLB. Hold onto your hats, Pads fans, it's going to be an interesting offseason.

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