Juan Soto’s trade demands for Dodgers revealed: Nats wanted a huge return

What would it have taken for the Dodgers to get Juan Soto from the Nats? To beat the Padres, LA would have had to give up a number of key prospects.

That dodgers were one of the finalists in a fight for a blockbuster trade for Juan Soto, who eventually went to the Padres.

San Diego gave up six players, including their Nos. 1, 3 and 14, to get Soto and first baseman Josh Bell.

Though Los Angeles didn’t get the young superstar, there’s still plenty of curiosity about what it would have taken to make the trade happen. Thanks to JP Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group, we have an idea.

Dodgers should have given up 6-7 prospects for Juan Soto

On the Bleav in Dodgers PodcastHoornstra reported on an interaction of trade demands the Nationals had for LA.

“According to my sources, it was a package of six or seven prospects,” Hoornstra said. “The headliners were Diego Cartaya and Bobby Miller, who are respectively the top position player and top pitcher in the Dodgers’ system.”

A source who saw a version of the trade said Washington is chasing more top-five Dodger prospects.

“So think about guys like Ryan Pepiot [No. 6 RHP]Gavin Stein [No. 7 RHP]Miguel Vargas [No. 5 IF]Andy Pages [No. 4 OF]Michael Bush [No. 3 IF]’ Hoornstra said. “Maybe two or three from that group, plus two or three other wildcard prospects – guys who don’t rank as high as the aforementioned group, but guys who liked the Nationals for one reason or another.”

Put it all together and you get a package containing no fewer than four of LA’s top seven prospects, including the top two, with two or three other lower-rated prospects.

Essentially, the Dodgers would have had to sell the farm to acquire Soto.

Some will say it would have been worth it given Soto’s age and immense talent. Others will disagree, arguing that a player isn’t worth this kind of transport.

In the end, these arguments are irrelevant. Soto is a Padre and the Dodgers’ focus now is firmly on winning a World Series with the guys they have.