Gregory Soto debuted for the Orioles on Friday night and his appearance looked familiar to a fanbase that watched him alternate between sharp outings and meltdowns for nearly two seasons.
Soto entered in the sixth inning and turned a 4-1 Baltimore deficit into an 8-1 blowout, allowing four runs on three hits and two walks in just one-third of an inning.
Soto told Orioles reporters that he and his agent expressed to the Phillies ahead of the trade deadline that if an opportunity to trade him arose, he would be happy in a new environment. The Phillies accommodated him, sending him to Baltimore for pitching prospects Seth Johnson and Moises Chace.
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Minutes earlier, they acquired lefty reliever Tanner Banks from the White Sox to take Soto's place.
"Overall, he pitched OK when you look at his numbers," president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said of Soto the night of the deadline. "We didn't necessarily get him as a closer. I think a lot of times he envisions himself as a closer, which is fine.
"We weren't dissatisfied with him by any means, but the way we use our 'pen, I'm not sure there was ever a way he'd feel comfortable in that regard. And we would not have made this deal if we hadn't gotten Banks. So that happened very quick at the end."
Aside from potentially outperforming him, Banks is much cheaper than Soto with years of team control. Soto earns $5 million this season before his final arbitration year and is due for free agency after 2025. Banks is making $755,000 and cannot become a free agent until after 2028.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies initially landed Soto from the Tigers in January 2023 with Kody Clemens in exchange for outfielder Matt Vierling, infielder Nick Maton and catcher Donny Sands. Vierling has posted league-average numbers leading off for Detroit while Maton and Sands are in the minor leagues with different organizations.
Soto pitched to a 4.42 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 112 appearances as a Phillie, striking out 109 and walking 42 in 95⅔ innings. He had bouts of effectiveness but was also prone to blow-up outings, with five appearances of three-plus runs last season and three more this year.
In Baltimore, he's part of a bullpen that includes former Phillies Craig Kimbrel and Seranthony Dominguez. Kimbrel has been solid overall but is going through his second rough patch of the year and has been temporarily moved into lower-leverage situations, a la Jose Alvarado. Dominguez has started his O's career with three scoreless appearances, appearing twice in the eighth inning and once in the ninth.
As for the Phillies' deadline additions, Austin Hays is 5-for-21 with a double, homer, four RBI and two stolen bases in five games. Banks has allowed one baserunner over three scoreless innings, and Carlos Estevez has retired all six batters he's faced.
It hasn't translated to wins yet as the Phillies have lost five in a row, seven of eight and 12 of 16.