Report: Yankees, Mets will explore Soto trade

The New York Yankees and New York Mets will do their due diligence on a potential trade involving Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto, sources told Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

However, a deal involving Soto will likely be hard to complete by the Aug. 2 trade deadline because of the 23-year-old's superstar status, Heyman notes. He adds that a trade with the Mets could be particularly complicated because New York and Washington play in the same division.

"It's going to be like Kevin Durant," said a rival executive. The NBA superstar asked for a trade from the Brooklyn Nets in late June but hasn't been moved yet due to the reportedly very high price.

The Nationals will reportedly entertain offers for Soto after the 2021 NL MVP runner-up rejected a 15-year, $440-million contract extension.

Soto, who's under team control through the 2024 campaign, owns a career .293/.427/.540 slash line with 117 homers and 354 RBIs over five years with Washington. He also leads the majors with 224 walks since the start of 2021.