The Toronto Blue Jays made a surprising trade for José Soriano with the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, and the move actually hurts many pitcher-needy contenders.
The Blue Jays are 4 1/2 games out of a wild card spot right now, and while nothing is impossible, their postseason odds look slim. They traded away Kevin Gausman over the weekend and could deal away some more expiring contracts before the deadline, so why simultaneously add?
Well, the Blue Jays know what the pitching market looks like next season and made a move to add a controllable pitcher who can slot into their rotation with ease for the next few seasons. Soriano could also help them make a miraculous run to the postseason, but overall, many other contenders could have gotten more out of him this year.
The price for Soriano was steep. The Blue Jays gave up their No. 2 prospect, shortstop Arjun Nimmala, Eddie Micheletti and Angel Rivero. With Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta off the board now, only a few difference-making pitchers are remaining for contenders to target.
Rentals like Casey Mize and Robbie Ray would make sense for some contenders. However, teams would much rather have prefered Soriano, who comes with club control and has a 3.29 ERA. Teams looking for controllable pitching could pivot to Reid Detmers of the Angels now as well.
The Philadelphia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs could all still be looking for pitching. With Soriano off the board and setting a high price, it may have just become harder for those teams to find starters. Soriano cost the Blue Jays an elite prospect, so now any team with a solid controllable starter may be looking for the same.