"Does Buster Posey think Trea Turner can turn Giants around?" - Ex-Phillies GM theorizes Juan Soto's arrival if Philadelphia clears $300,000,000
Juan Soto is the biggest name going into the free agency, expecting to break records. The Yankees, Mets and Dodgers are the favorites to acquire Soto's services. Even though the Phillies have less chance to sign the Dominican, a former general manager theorized the possibility of Soto landing in Philadelphia.
Speaking on Tuesday's episode of "The Phillies Show," former GM and current Phillies broadcaster Ruben Amaro Jr. put out a way for Soto to play in Philadelphia. Amaro Jr. suggested his idea after insider Jim Salisbury put forth the idea of a team acquiring Trea Turner, who has a $300,000,000 contract.
"Do the Giants, who have trouble signing people, get a Trea Turner? Does Buster Posey think that Trea Turner, or that type of player, can really turn their organization [Giants] around?" Amaro Jr. said. [Timestamp 23:57]
The former GM only thinks the chances of the Phillies acquiring Soto are as low as 17 percent. However, he didn't rule out the possibility of the Dominican playing with Bryce Harper, his teammate with the Nationals.
"If Juan Soto becomes the guy and you can move a contract to bring on a contract, albeit a bigger one, because it's going to be a lot bigger than 300 million more dollars; I mean, there's crazier ways to go about it. And hey, I mean, who's to say these things won't happen? It's not an impossibility," Amaro Jr. said. [Timestamp 24:15]
Despite the possibility, Amaro Jr. strongly believes the Yankees will be the favorites to sign Juan Soto. However, Yankees GM Brian Cashman's response about Soto has sent mixed signals.
After the Yankees, the Mets have the next best odds to sign the 2019 World Series champion. Many Mets pundits and fans had already expressed interest in seeing Soto team up with Francisco Lindor, their star shortstop.
Buster Posey will target Juan Soto, says Giants HOFer
San Francisco Giants Hall of Famer Hunter Pence firmly believes his former team will target Juan Soto in free agency. Speaking to sportscaster Chris Rose, Pence highlighted Buster Posey, the new President of Baseball Operations, playing a big role in the decision.
"Obviously, I think they're going for Juan Soto. He is going to change whatever franchise, he's going to create a lot of history. He is an exceptional talent, he's extremely clutch in the postseason. He immediately makes you a contender just by adding him." (starting at 12:03)
Pence believes Soto can make any team better with his exceptional talent. As such, it won't be surprising that the Giants will target the Dominican. Nevertheless, the odds of Soto landing in San Francisco are behind the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs.
The Giants have already secured Matt Chapman, a five-time Gold Glove winner, in a long-term deal. If they could add Soto to the mix, they could become a serious World Series threat, like when Posey and Pence played, winning multiple Fall Classics.