Almost four years after the Juan Soto trade with the Nationals, the Padres are still searching for the right answer to win a World Series title. Let’s take a look at the trade and how it has impacted the Padres since the two sides agreed to the deal. 

When Juan Soto was acquired by the Padres, San Diego lost its mind.

On August 2, 2022, A.J. Preller pulled off an inconceivable trade as the Padres obtained Juan Soto with two and a half years of control. Soto was added along with Josh Bell as the Padres sent five viable young players to the Washington Nationals. CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, James Wood, Robert Hassell III, and Jarlin Susana were sent to Washington in the deal. Luke Voit was also sent east in the trade by San Diego.

Gore, Abrams, and even Voit provided instant returns for the Nats. James Wood has grown into one of the best young players in the league. Hassell debuted in 2025 and still may have a decent career when it is all said and done. Susana has yet to debut in the majors and is currently injured. The right-handed pitcher’s fastball tops out at the triple-digit mark, and there is a lot of potential in the 22-year-old pitcher.

On paper, this deal is already a massive overpay for the Padres. Juan Soto may be one of the best hitters in the league, but you could argue the fact that James Wood is not that much of an overall downgrade. When you factor in Gore and a blossoming Abrams, the Padres really lost a lot of talent in the deal.

While this may be true, the addition of Juan Soto put the Padres front and center in the MLB world. San Diego stole mojo from New York and Los Angeles, as nobody could stop talking about the Padres and the potential of the lineup that A.J. Preller created.

The addition of Soto was supposed to be the deciding factor for the Padres. Nothing but a World Series title would be deemed successful, and bringing in the future Hall-of-Fame player at the prime of his career was surreal. The Padres were viewed as instant World Series favorites. His addition may have energized the fan base, but the team failed to utilize his services in a positive manner. They did not win.

Building an all-star roster generally does not work in baseball, and the 2022 and 2023 Padres proved that fact. Chemistry may have been an issue. There really is no way to put your finger on the exact problem. No matter what it was, the Padres did not succeed. Fingers were pointed everywhere.

Juan Soto was packaged in the winter before his free agency as the Padres were well-aware they could not extend the slugger. The Yankees paid a hefty price tag as the Padres obtained Michael King, Kyle Higashioka, Randy Vasquez, Jhony Brito, and Drew Thorpe for Soto and Trent Grisham. The Padres promptly dealt Thorpe to the White Sox for Dylan Cease. This haul certainly assisted the Padres moving forward. Preller did well to adjust.

The Padres may have lost out on Gore, Abrams, and Wood for the services of Juan Soto, but the trade was worth it. The San Diego Padres went for it all. They set a precedent for the franchise moving forward. There is a commitment to win it all, and that is not going away anytime soon. The fans feel that. The attendance at Petco Park proves that fact.

There will always be those who are all doom and gloom when discussing the Juan Soto topic. James Wood in a Padres uniform would have been a beautiful thing to see. However, it is all about the big picture and the opportunities that trade gave the Padres. They had an immediate chance to hoist a World Series title. Opportunities like that do not come often.

James Clark

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.