How Yankees trading for Juan Soto would make an Aaron Judge dilemma

With All-Star festivities complete, eyes in the baseball world turn to the next big date on the MLB calendar: Trade deadline day. 

No one player is more important at that time, as Nationals superstar Juan Soto is on the trade block. And you can bet teams like the Yankees will be mulling over whether or not to throw the kitchen sink at Washington to get the 23-year-old. 

But for the Bombers, while adding Soto now would almost certainly upgrade their roster in the immediate, could it actually be detrimental to others on the roster? Say, Aaron Judge? 

On the outside, Soto would be an immediate fit in the Yankees' lineup. His left-handed bat, filled with all types of power, would love a short porch in right field. He can play right field and center field, allowing him and Judge to swap places, or Aaron Boone could just keep Soto in center to allow Judge to play his normal right field. 

He automatically makes the Yankees the World Series favorite, which they probably already are considering their best record in the league. 

Dealing for Soto, though, creates an interesting dilemma at E. 161st in the Bronx: Are you still going to sign Judge when Soto will also be commanding money, maybe even more than what Judge wants?

Because after all, selling the top farm hands and potentially more for Soto means you're committing to signing him long-term and meeting his demands. 

Yankee fans continue to scream for Soto on social media, telling GM Brian Cashman to make top prospects Anthony Volpe, Jasson Dominguez and others available to get it done. You really can't blame them considering the talent level -- Soto is a proven generational talent whereas Volpe & Co. haven't cracked into the league yet.

But if Soto is looking to reset the market with his next deal, paying Judge, a free agent after this season, doesn't seem like something Hal Steinbrenner will sign off on. The Yankees still have massive contracts like Gerrit Cole and Giancarlo Stanton on the books, so Steinbrenner would have to be fine paying a hefty tax if those two All-Star outfielders also remain on the roster.

It's not out of the question, as Hal could summon his inner George Steinbrenner and do whatever it takes for a championship. But will he? History tells us it's unlikely.

So where do you stand, Yankee fans? Would you rather pay Judge, the face of the franchise that is currently playing at an MVP level and has garnered the love and support of the city already to earn his next contract? Or Soto, the 23-year-old with amazing promise that already has a World Series ring under his belt?

We have to note that Soto does have two more years of team control after this season before he's a free agent in 2025, meaning a deal doesn't necessarily need to be done right now. However, with Scott Boras as his agent, it would be wise to assume Soto wants to be paid as one of the best players in the league right now, and that's because he is and deserves that type of payday.

This is the very dilemma Cashman and the rest of the team are going over right now with the Aug. 2 deadline looming. Soto is a gamechanger, but so is Judge. Do you go all in now with this World Series hope the highest it has been since 2009, and figure out the rest later? Is there a scenario where Soto and Judge can be in the same clubhouse for years to come with both happy about their deals? Can Soto wait a bit for the books to clear up before he gets his money?

These what ifs make the Yankees' play at one of the best players in the league this trade season an intriguing one to watch as the deadline approaches faster by the day.