Olney believes ‘5 percent' chance Giants make run at Soto

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It certainly won't be easy for the Giants to trade for Juan Soto, who likely will be one of the most coveted trade targets in MLB history. 

With the Washington Nationals superstar reportedly on the trade block after turning down the organization's 15-year, $440 million contract offer, the Giants are expected to be among the likely long list of teams interested in acquiring the generational talent. 

However, ESPN's Buster Olney does not believe that San Francisco will make a run at acquiring Soto. Olney joined 95.7 The Game's "Damon & Ratto" on Friday, where he explained why he doesn't expect the Giants to be in the mix. 

"My instinct is that I just don't see [president of baseball operations] Farhan [Zaidi] being the guy who is going to pay twice for an elite player like Juan Soto," Olney said. "Paying the package of prospects now and then having the Scott Boras bill of $500 million-plus in his next contract.

"I don't see Farhan doing that because I don't get a sense from talking to people in the organization that there's a high level of desperation, like 'this is our window, we have to win now,' I do feel that from the Padres."

If not Soto, then who could the Giants target as the middle-of-the-lineup bat for years to come? Olney believes the Giants are better off going after New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Angels two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani when each becomes available in free agency in the following two offseasons. 

"I don't think the Giants are going to take a run at Soto, I would put that number at about 5 percent based on what I heard about them landing him," Olney added. "I do think it makes sense for them to look at what's coming down the pike and at least evaluate the price of an Aaron Judge, or after next year, Shohei Ohtani, who likely is going to be available. Because I do feel like, if you watch them play on a day-in, day-out basis, they need an anchor. It doesn't feel like you have an anchor in your lineup."

RELATED: Giants get reminder they should make big trade if chance arises

The Giants already are seen as a potential suitor for Judge if he tests free agency this upcoming offseason and previously were in the mix to sign Ohtani before he chose the Angels back in 2018. 

If San Francisco does take the plunge into the Soto Sweepstakes, chances are that it will cost both an arm and a leg

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