Orioles Add Reliever In Trade For Phillies’ Gregory Soto
Image credit: Gregory Soto (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
As expected, the AL East-leading Orioles were busy at the trade deadline. Late Tuesday afternoon, they piled more onto their 2024 haul with additional bullpen help in the form of veteran lefty Gregory Soto.
Per multiple reports, the return for Soto will be a pair of Baltimore’s Top 30-ranked minor league arms: RHP Seth Johnson and RHP Moises Chace.
In BA’s most recent midseason prospect update, Johnson and Chace ranked 12th and 24th, respectively. You can find the entire Orioles Top 30 list here.
ORIOLES RECEIVE
Gregory Soto, LHP
Age: 29
The veteran lefty has spent the last two seasons in Philly after a four-year stint in Detroit to start his career. His career totals aren’t exactly sparkling thanks to some questionable command (4.23 ERA, 4.07 FIP and 4.85 BB/9), but he’s tough on lefties with a good sinker/slider combo. Soto can bring the heat, but his 98-mph four-seamer isn’t particularly effective, resulting in a low 13% usage rate. He will give the Orioles another bullpen option with good stuff as they look to close out the division race.
PHILLIES RECEIVE
Seth Johnson, RHP
Age: 25
Johnson was taken by the Rays out of Campbell, where he was converted position player who had tantalizing arm strength and plenty of upside. He moved to Baltimore as part of a three-team deal in 2022 and then had Tommy John surgery and missed most of the 2023 season. Johnson works with a five-pitch mix headed by a four-seamer that has reached up to 97 mph. It’s backed by a cutter, curveball, changeup and slider. He’s also sprinkled in the very occasional two-seamer. The righthander had walked a few too many hitters at Double-A Bowie this season but was having an overall solid campaign.
Moises Chace, RHP
Age: 21
Chace was one of the early risers in the Orioles’ system. He earned plaudits when he was an amateur thanks to a combination of solid stuff and feel to pitch. His bread and butter offerings are a 93-95 mph fastball and a low-80s changeup. He has a sweeper slider, too, but the offering needs further refinement to be anything other than a pitch hitters can easily eliminate as it slices out of the zone. Chace has the upside of a starter but the floor of a reliever thanks to his excellent fastball-changeup combo.
