Josh Hader to San Diego: Soto Next?

The MLB Trade Deadline is coming up, and the Milwaukee Brewers just shipped off their starboy closer Josh Hader to the San Diego Padres in exchange for proven MLB pitchers in Dinelson Lamet and Taylor Rogers, along with prospects in Robert Gasser (gas lol) and Esteury Ruiz, per Jeff Passan.

So, what does this mean for either team? Well, the Brewers, being the organizational equivalent to if you decided to light your trash can on fire when it gets too full instead of taking it out, are leading the NL Central by 3 games with the St. Louis Cardinals hot on their tails. Instead of looking to expand on their good team by, I don’t know, acquiring a great player or two? They instead take the route of dealing the best relief guy they’ve had in recent memory in exchange for a mid at best haul.

The Padres, on the other hand, might look a little different after the deadline ends. They still have their top prospects in C.J. Abrams, Robert Hassell III, James Wood, Jackson Merrill, and MacKenzie Gore. Regardless of the fact that they’re 12 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West, they’ve been in “Win Now” mode since last season. After acquiring Joe Musgrove in early 2021, Fernando Tatis becoming a cornerstone in their franchise, AND this Hader trade? There’s no way they’re NOT looking for another big move, right? Is acquiring Juan Soto out of the question? Nope! If they decide to offload some of their big-name prospects and maybe throw in a proven, not old as dirt player in the deal like Trent Grisham, the Padres could DEFINITELY be the team that pulls off this deal. The San Diego Padres are a Juan Soto type of player away from becoming a serious World Series threat for the next couple of years so long as Fernando Tatis can stay healthy.