Scott Boras: Peter Seidler’s Death Led to Juan Soto’s Trade from Padres to Yankees

In a recent statement, Scott Boras, the agent for baseball star Juan Soto, revealed that the trade of Soto from the San Diego Padres to the New York Yankees was a direct consequence of the death of former Padres owner Peter Seidler. According to Boras, if Seidler were still alive, Soto would never have been traded to the Yankees.

Seidler passed away in November 2023, and at the time of his death, he and Boras were in advanced discussions regarding a contract extension for Soto. Boras emphasized that Seidler was committed to keeping Soto with the Padres, stating, “Peter was not trading Juan Soto. No way. He kept saying, ‘I traded for a franchise. I’m not giving him up.’”.

The Padres had acquired Soto from the Washington Nationals less than a year and a half before trading him to the Yankees, along with Trent Grisham, in exchange for several players including Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Jhony Brito, Randy Vásquez, and Kyle Higashioka. Boras believes that Soto’s presence would have led the Padres to the World Series this season had Seidler not passed away.

Soto has since had a remarkable season with the Yankees, recording a career-high 41 home runs and helping the team reach their first World Series since 2009. Despite the trade, Boras remains convinced that Soto’s future with the Padres was secure under Seidler’s ownership.