Report: Nationals’ star Soto turns down $440M contract
The 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-yearold superstar, can reach free agency after the 2024 season, meaning the Nationals can keep him through the final two and a half months of this year and the following two seasons. But doubt about retaining him long-term has pushed the club to field trade offers ahead of the Aug. 2 trade deadline.
The Nationals’ most recent contract offer, which would be the biggest in the sport’s history by total value — beating Mike Trout’s $426.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels — came near the start of July, according to two people familiar with the timing. It does not include payment deferrals, according to two people familiar with the terms, which was also the case with offers to Soto in November and
May. Once the Athletic reported the latest figures and the Nationals’ intentions Saturday, Soto was frustrated that the situation, and the uncertainty surrounding it, was in public view.
“It feels really bad to see stuff going out like that because I’m a guy who keeps everything on my side,” Soto told reporters at his locker. “I keep everything quiet and try to keep it just [to] me, but they just [made] the decision and do whatever they need to do.”
On Monday, Soto will participate in the Home Run Derby at Dodger Stadium. On Tuesday, he’ll be the only player representing the last-place Nationals in the All Star Game. He is, by many measures, one of baseball’s most exciting players, one of its best hitters, and one of the top candidates to build a franchise around. But since
Soto proved to be a generational talent, the specter of the open market — and the record of his agent, Scott Boras, taking most clients there — loomed over any discussions about his future in Washington.
Fifteen years and $440 million averages to just under $30 million in annual value. That would rank as the 20th-highest salary in history. Soto’s side has not presented a counteroffer to the Nationals, according to two people familiar with the discussions. But after the 15-year offer, Soto and General Manger Mike Rizzo did meet at Nationals Park, according to three people who declined to share details of the conversation.
ALL-STAR GAME ROSTER CHANGES
Houston second baseman Jose Altuve, San Francisco Giants pitcher Carlos Rodon and St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado won’t be playing in Tuesday’s All-Star Game.
Altuve, an eight-time All-Star who was selected as a starter in fan voting, was struck on the left knee leading off Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels. He was kept out of the lineup Friday.
Cleveland’s Andrés Giménez will start for Altuve and Toronto’s Santiago Espinal will replace Altuve on the AL roster. Dodgers pitcher Tyler Anderson is taking the place of Rodón on the NL roster. It wasn’t immediately clear why Rodón isn’t playing in the All-Star Game. Arenado says he’ll be resting his back. Atlanta’s Austin Riley is taking Arenado’s place.
The 23-year-old Gimenez, who came to Cleveland last year as part of the trade that sent shortstop Francisco Lindor to the New York Mets, is having a standout season. He’s batting .299 with 10 homers and 43 RBIs in 78 games while playing solid defense. He’s also been clutch, batting .384 with runners in scoring position.
SATURDAY’S GAMES AMERICAN LEAGUE
Twins 6, White Sox 3:
Jorge Polanco hit a threerun homer, one of three home runs for host Minnesota against Lance Lynn, in a five-run third inning to take command against Chicago. First-time All-Star
Luis Arraez led off the bottom of the first with a homer and Carlos Correa added a two-run shot for the Twins, who had lost six of eight.
Blue Jays 6, Royals 5 (10): Teoscar Hernández singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 10th and host Toronto rallied to beat Kansas City.
Guardians 10, Tigers 0: José Ramírez warmed up for the All-Star Home
AAARun Derby by homering in his first two at-bats and driving in five runs — on his bobblehead giveaway day — to power host Cleveland past Detroit.
Astros 5, Athletics 0:
Justin Verlander struck out 10 in six scoreless innings to post his MLBleading 12th win as host Houston beat Oakland.
Martín Maldonado provided the offense with a second-inning grand slam as the AL West-leading Astros bounced back after a 5-1 loss Friday night.
Mariners 3, Rangers 2 (10): J.P. Crawford hit an RBI single in the 10th inning and Seattle stretched
AAits winning streak to 13 games, beating host Texas.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cardinals 11, Reds 3: Paul Goldschmidt hit his 300th career homer and drove in three runs, Albert Pujols reached another milestone and host St.
Louis beat Cincinnati. Goldschmidt’s two-run homer in the second inning was his 20th this season and first since June 27.
Now in his 12th major league season and a seventime All-Star, the 34-yearold Goldschmidt became the 153rd player to reach 300 homers. He has 997 RBI. The 42-year-old Pujols
Ascored twice. He tied Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig for 12th place all-time with 1,889 runs scored. Mets 2, Cubs 1 (11): Pete Alonso hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th inning after
Adam Ottavino worked out of a tricky jam, helping New York take the opener of a doubleheader at Chicago. The Cubs lost their eighth in a row.
Rockies 2, Pirates 0:
Kris Bryant had three hits and an RBI, Charlie Blackmon extended his hitting streak to seven games with an RBI single, and Jose Urena pitched six scoreless innings as host Colorado beat Pittsburgh.
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