Cardinals Acquire George Soriano from Nationals in 2026 Trade

The Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals just pulled off a straightforward one-for-one reliever swap. George Soriano heads to St. Louis, while Andre Granillo joins Washington.

Washington shuffled its 40-man roster too. They designated Soriano for assignment and put starter Trevor Williams on the 60-day injured list—a procedural move tied to Granillo’s arrival.

This deal gives us a peek at how both teams value late-inning depth. They’re clearly weighing the long-term health of pitchers who have spotty injury histories or uncertain minor-league resumes.

What this trade means for the Nationals and Cardinals

The swap centers on two pitchers with upside and risk in almost equal measure. For the Cardinals, bringing in Soriano shows they think his late-inning mix could bring some reliability to a bullpen that needs more confident, multi-inning options.

Washington gets Granillo, a cost-controlled arm who might help at the MLB level pretty soon. He’s coming off a solid Triple-A run and brings mid-90s velocity. Both teams are basically gambling on how fast these arms can turn their flashes of promise into something steady in the majors.

George Soriano: a high-risk, high-reward bullpen piece

Here’s a snapshot of Soriano’s MLB profile and why he’s on the move:

• ERA: Around 6.00 over 118 innings. That’s not pretty, but it does leave room for improvement if he clicks in a bullpen role.
• Strikeouts and walks: About a 22% K rate with a 10.3% walk rate. He’s got swing-and-miss stuff, but the control can be all over the place.
• Home runs allowed: 1.75 HR/9. He’s been prone to the long ball, especially in certain parks or against power-heavy lineups.
• Pitch arsenal: Mid-90s sinker and four-seamer, plus a slider and changeup. He’s got enough to keep hitters guessing if he’s on.
• Path to the big leagues: Soriano’s bounced around from Miami to Baltimore, then Atlanta, then Washington. That kind of waiver-wire journey says a lot about how teams see his floor and ceiling.

Soriano probably needs a steady platform—like the Cardinals’ bullpen—to stick on a 26-man roster. St. Louis clearly thinks he can figure it out fast enough to help in late innings, not just be another project.

Andre Granillo: a polished arm with major-league potential on a fast track

Granillo, 25, was a 14th-round pick who made his MLB debut last June. He pitched in 14 games and posted a 4.71 ERA over 21 innings.

This past season, he dominated at Triple-A Memphis—1.29 ERA, a 36% strikeout rate, and an 8.7% walk rate in 42 innings. He leans on a mid-90s fastball and a slider, and those numbers show he can miss bats at a high clip.

That’s exactly the kind of upside the Cardinals were hoping for when they made the deal. Still, there’s some hesitation. Granillo’s Triple-A stats might not translate right away in St. Louis, and the Cardinals are letting go of a reliever with a bit of major-league experience.

It’s a risk-reward play, really. St. Louis is banking on their ability to coax a breakout from Granillo—or at least find a sturdy depth piece who can help soon.

Roster moves and injuries shaping the deal

Alongside the trade, the Nationals put Trevor Williams on the 60-day injured list because of UCL internal brace surgery.

Williams probably won’t throw again until after the All-Star break. This means Washington faces a longer project as it figures out its rotation and bullpen, especially after the Soriano-for-Granillo swap.

The 60-day IL move isn’t just procedural—it actually matters. It opens up the roster spot Granillo needs, so the Nationals don’t have to juggle the 40-man sheet even more.

This deal really comes down to bullpen depth. Both teams seem willing to take a shot on upside in a relief market that’s, let’s be honest, always a bit unpredictable.

Soriano brings a bumpy minor-league history and some up-and-down big-league outings. Granillo, on the other hand, flashes a high-strikeout arm and steady Triple-A command.

It’s the kind of trade that might look small now but could matter if either pitcher finds his groove.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Nationals To Trade George Soriano To Cardinals