Reviewing the Juan Soto Trade almost three years later

Juan Soto’s blockbuster trade shook the MLB – but how has it turned out for the Nationals?

In August 2022, the Nationals were three years removed from their improbable World Series win; however, it was the beginning of the end. A year prior, Washington shipped off Trea Turner and Max Scherzer in a blockbuster trade with the Dodgers, getting a hefty prospect haul in return. Juan Soto was one of the last remaining key contributors from their championship team and was expected to get one of the most significant contracts in MLB history.

Just two hours before the trade deadline passed, Juan Soto would headline a deal to San Diego for several prospects. Washington was fully committed to rebuilding, while San Diego had assembled a World Series-caliber team.

Full Trade Package:

Padres get:

• OF Juan Soto (2x All-Star, 2nd in MVP- 2021, 3x Silver Slugger)
• 1B Josh Bell (1x All-Star)

Nationals get:

• SS C.J. Abrams (MLB No. 9 overall)
• LHP MacKenzie Gore (San Diego’s No.4 starter)
• OF Robert Hassell lll (MLB No. 21 overall)
• OF James Wood (MLB No. 88 overall)
• RHP Jarlin Susana (San Diego’s No. 14)
• 1B Luke Voit (San Diego’s first baseman)

In August, it will mark the three years since this blockbuster trade. Washington would go into a full rebuild after this trade, finishing with a 71-91 record in 2023 and 2024. However, things are starting to turn in the right direction for Washington, seeing success directly from this massive trade.

Let’s dive into the Washington Nationals’ return for Juan Soto, detailing what has happened to each player since the trade and where their careers currently stand.

Nationals Return for Juan Soto:

C.J. Abrams: At the time of the trade, Abrams was set to be a long-term piece for the Nationals moving forward, heading into the season as the No. 9 overall prospect in all of baseball. Abrams would immediately find a role on the MLB roster as the starting shortstop and has solidified his spot in the Washington lineup.

Abrams’ improvement has been seen in his offensive game. He struggled at first in Washington, but in 2024 Abrams found a groove offensively, finishing the season with a 110 WRC+ and becoming an All-Star for the first time in his career.

Abrams has started off the 2025 season outstanding once again, building off an All-Star season, and will be a key contributor going forward for Washington.

James Wood: Wood would soar through minors, dominating the competition. Wood would eventually become one of the best prospects in the MLB, some ranking him as high as the top prospect before being called up to the Major League unit for the first time in 2024.

In 79 games, Wood would have a strong start to his career, posting a 123 OPS+ in 2024. The 22-year-old is now looked at as the next big-time star for Washington, similar to Juan Soto.

Wood has lived up to the hype so far in 2025, posting a 1.010 OPS through the team’s first two weeks of the season. The sky’s the limit for James Wood, as he looks to play his first full season in 2025.

MacKenzie Gore: Same as Abrams, Gore would be thrust into a starting role, becoming the Nationals ace of the future. The 23-year-old would not pitch for the Nationals in 2022 due to elbow inflammation. However, in 2023, Gore would start 27 games finishing with a 4.42 ERA and a 96 ERA+.

Gore became a workhorse in 2024, starting 32 games and finishing with a 3.90 ERA and 103 ERA+. Gore received his first Opening Day start in his short MLB career, and he showed all of baseball the level of pitcher he could be.

2025 has gotten off to a great start for the newly 26-year-old, posting a 2.65 ERA through his first three starts. MacKenzie Gore is aiming to become Washington’s ace for the foreseeable future.

Robert Hassell lll: After being drafted 8th overall in the 2020 MLB Draft, Hassell was set to be one of the main returning pieces for the Nationals in the trade. At the time, Hassell was ranked the No. 21 overall prospect in the MLB.

2024 was a big year for the former top prospect, jumping from High-A to Triple-A, and having a successful year throughout the minors and Arizona Fall League.

Hassell has had his ups and downs in Washington’s system, watching other players like James Wood and Dylan Crews (2024 1st-round pick) get the call to the MLB before him.

At 23 years old, Hassell has gotten off to solid start in Rochester in 2025 and has a chance of earning a call-up to the Major League squad with consistent performances.

Jarlin Susana: While being the youngest player in the trade, Susana has progressed to becoming one of the top pitching prospects in Washington’s system. Susana has posted a career 4.17 ERA in the minor leagues up to 2025, starting this season in Double-A. His 100 MPH fastball makes him a very intriguing arm.

Currently ranked the No. 76 prospect in baseball, Susana is projected to make his Major League debut in 2026 and could become a key part of the future rotation in Washington.

Padres Return:

Juan Soto: At the time of this trade, Juan Soto was one of the brightest young stars in all of baseball and Soto has lived up to hype. 2022 was a down year for Soto’s standards, finishing the season with an .853 OPS, struggling with San Diego down the stretch.

In Soto’s only full season with San Diego, he bounced back in a big way, belting a career-high 35 home runs and finishing with a .930 OPS. This season would prove to be a successful season for San Diego, making the NLCS before falling to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Following a spectacular season, Soto would be dealt by San Diego across the country to the New York Yankees. He somehow improved from his 2023 season, finishing third in AL MVP after smashing a new career-high 41 home runs. He and New York would fall to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 World Series.

Soto became a free agent for the first time in the 2025 off-season, becoming one of the most sought after free agents in recent memory. Soto would get the payday he always wanted, signing a MLB-record $765 million deal from the New York Mets. At just 26-years-old, Juan Soto has the potential of becoming an all-time great and will always be remembered for bringing Washington their first World Series.

Josh Bell: At the time Bell was dealt to the Padres, he was having a career year, .877 OPS and a 152 WRC+. However, once he joined the Padres, Bell would struggle the rest of the season, posting a -0.5 WAR.

Bell would sign with Cleveland for the 2023 season and was dealt to the Miami Marlins at the 2023 trade deadline. The former All-Star would be dealt once again, heading to the Arizona Diamondbacks at the 2024 trade deadline.

For 2025, Josh Bell and the Washington Nationals have reunited and Bell earned the full-time designated hitter spot for the start of 2025, filling as a much-needed upgrade for Washington.

Conclusion

The Washington Nationals have been rebuilding ever since the Soto trade. Washington finished with a 71-91 record in 2023 and 2024. However, the start of the 2025 season has given fans a different feeling than in recent years.

Coming off a series win against the Dodgers, fans are seeing the true potential of the trade return for superstar Juan Soto. The future is bright, however, featuring a young lineup with plenty of room to grow. Abrams, Gore, and Wood look to be the future of the Nationals, as Hassell and Susana are progressing to become contributors in the near future.

Ask any Nationals fan, they will tell you Washington came out on top with this blockbuster trade. Even though I would have to agree, Juan Soto’s career has been nothing short of incredible.

Almost three years later, what do you guys think about the Juan Soto trade and how it has panned out? Comment down below!