If you’re going to move forward with a league-altering blockbuster trade, it’s always a good idea to make sure the appropriate parties all signed off on the deal. That didn’t seem to happen with the Tuesday trade that would send Juan Soto and Josh Bell to the San Diego Padres.
They can thank Eric Hosmer for that.
As details of the huge trade started to go public, we learned that the Padres first baseman was initially part of the trade to the Washington Nationals AND that he had a no-trade clause for trades to Washington. It got to the point where there were conflicting reports about whether the trade hinged on Hosmer’s approval, which of course is always fun. Nobody seemed sure about what would happen — whether it be a negotiated buyout, a blown-up trade or the trade going through anyway without Hosmer.
The #Nationals #Padres deal DOES NOT hinge on Hosmer being a part of it. The deal is done regardless…acccording to sources directly involved.
— Jim Bowden⚾️ (@JimBowdenGM) August 2, 2022
Sources: #Padres and Eric Hosmer’s representatives currently negotiating about what it would take for Hosmer to approve his trade to the #Nats. The Juan Soto/Josh Bell blockbuster — in its current form — is contingent on Hosmer’s assent. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) August 2, 2022
USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale eventually reported that the deal ended up being agreed upon without Hosmer who rejected the trade to Washington.
The Juan Soto deal is done with the #Padres, and does NOT include Eric Hosmer.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 2, 2022
According to Jeff Passan, there was always confidence that a trade was happening with or without Hosmer’s cooperation.
When Soto was informed by the Nationals he's moving, it was immediately clear some version of the deal will get done. The Padres knew that Eric Hosmer had Washington on his no-trade list and could invoke it. There are always different iterations.
The point: The deal will happen. https://t.co/TFH8vob1p4
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 2, 2022
That didn’t stop MLB fans from enjoying all the leverage Hosmer appeared to hold in the enormous trade.