Mets Bolster Bullpen with Gregory Soto Trade from Orioles

The New York Mets made a pivotal move on Friday to shore up a key area of weakness: their bullpen.

They acquired left-handed reliever Gregory Soto from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for two minor-league pitching prospects. The Mets needed a reliable southpaw for high-leverage situations, and Soto fits that bill.

Soto’s overpowering velocity and knack for generating strikeouts make him a valuable addition. That said, he’s not perfect—command issues have cropped up from time to time.

Let’s dig into what this trade means for New York, take a closer look at Soto’s skill set, and see how the move shapes both teams as the season heats up.

Gregory Soto: An Asset for the Mets’ Bullpen

The Mets’ bullpen has been a concern for most of the season. Friday’s addition of Gregory Soto shows the front office is serious about fixing that.

Soto, a 30-year-old lefty, brings elite velocity and a devastating slider. It’s no secret he’s been a mid-season target for a lot of teams.

Mets president David Stearns said the team had been talking with the Orioles for weeks to get this deal done. Clearly, Soto was high on their list.

In 2023, Soto has put up a 3.96 ERA over 36 1/3 innings. His 44 strikeouts and fastball averaging 96.7 mph really stand out.

That slider? It’s held opponents to a .182 batting average and gets almost a 50% swing-and-miss rate. Left-handed hitters especially have a tough time with it.

A Lefty Specialist With Targeted Advantages

Soto’s biggest strength is how he handles left-handed batters. They’ve managed just a .547 OPS this season, which speaks volumes about his ability to handle key matchups.

Right-handers do better against him, with a .726 OPS. That probably means the Mets will use him mostly as a situational reliever.

His stuff is electric, but control remains a work in progress. Soto has issued 18 walks, and that’s something the Mets will want to help him clean up.

The coaching staff in New York believes they can help Soto become more consistent. If he finds his rhythm, he could be a real force in the bullpen.

The Trade: What the Mets Gave Up

To get Soto, the Mets traded two young right-handed pitchers—Wellington Aracena and Cameron Foster—to the Orioles. Both guys have shown real promise in the minors this year.

• Wellington Aracena: At just 20 years old, he’s had a breakout season in Single-A. A 2.38 ERA and 84 strikeouts over 64 1/3 innings have scouts excited about his future as either a starter or a high-leverage reliever.
• Cameron Foster: Foster is 26, so he’s a bit older for a prospect, but he’s been lights out in Double-A. His 1.01 ERA stands out, and though his fastball isn’t the fastest, his command and mound smarts have people talking.

The Orioles see this move as a long-term play. Their farm system is already loaded, and adding Aracena and Foster just deepens their pitching pool.

What’s Next for the Mets?

Bringing in Gregory Soto probably won’t be the Mets’ last move to fix their bullpen. With the trade deadline approaching, Stearns has hinted the team will keep looking for more relief pitching.

Fans can expect to see Soto used as a specialist in big moments, especially when power-hitting lefties step in. His mix of high-octane velocity and a nasty breaking ball should give the Mets a real boost as they chase a postseason spot.

Final Thoughts

The Gregory Soto trade kind of screams “win-now” for the New York Mets. He’s not the perfect answer, honestly—he can be all over the place at times.

But when it comes to shutting down left-handed hitters, he’s got something the Mets’ bullpen needed badly. On the other side, the Orioles seem to double down on building for the future by grabbing a pair of interesting pitching prospects.

As the playoff race gets wild, this probably won’t be the last move from either team. The Mets landed their guy, but let’s see what actually matters when the second half rolls around.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Mets address bullpen need by acquiring lefty Gregory Soto from Orioles