ATLANTA — There’s no way the Braves could match the package that the Padres offered to acquire Nationals superstar Juan Soto on Tuesday. The Braves no longer have the top-rated prospects necessary to pull it off. Anyway, it’s unlikely the team would want to do a deal like that. There’s risk in acquiring a player who can be a free agent after the 2024 season and will demand a record-breaking contract to stay in San Diego beyond that.
Still, the immediate impact of the Soto trade is that the Braves have another National League rival to contend with in their quest for a second consecutive pennant. As part of the deal, San Diego also got Josh Bell, a good hitter who’s having a great season. Before that, the Padres acquired elite closer Josh Hader from Milwaukee. Adding all that talent elevated the Padres from fringe World Series contenders to serious threats, according to oddsmakers.
Before the trades, the Padres were getting 18-1 odds to win the World Series at most sportsbooks. That’s the seventh-shortest odds. After those deals, the Padres are 10-1 to win the Series. The Braves are 9-1, behind the Dodgers (3-1), Yankees (4-1), Astros (4-1) and Mets (7-1). The Padres are now 5-1 to win the pennant, same as the Braves and behind the Dodgers (2-1) and Mets (3-1).
