Did the Blue Jays Win the José Soriano Trade?

[Cory Sparks]

The Los Angeles Angels have traded José Soriano to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Arjun Nimmala, Eddie Micheletti Jr. and right-hander Angel Rivero. The news broke around the same time that the baseball community learned Kevin Gausman would be heading to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for a pair of the Northsiders’ prospects. Let’s break down both sides of this deal and ultimately conclude with who came out on top.

José Soriano’s Dominant Year 

Soriano was in a league of his own to start the year. The former Angels’ ace logged a 3-1 record with a minuscule 1.17 earned run average across four starts in the month of April. The righty also managed to allow just one earned run over the first 37.2 innings of the season, immediately putting him on the team’s radar, in case Kurt Suzuki’s squad failed to compete this year. 

His fastball played remarkably through the first two-thirds of the season, riding in at an average of 97 miles per hour with opposing batters hitting .242 against it. Soriano used it to set up the rest of a five-pitch mix that includes a sinker, curveball, splitter and slider. The 27-year-old excelled in two key categories: swing-and-miss stuff and ground ball rate. 

Soriano’s whiff rate of 31.4 percent has been one of the best marks in the league, putting him in the 89th percentile. His 24.9 percent strikeout rate (67th percentile) and 52.3 percent ground ball rate (90th percentile) have been spectacular, as the Jays will have a superb second option behind their ace in Dylan Cease. 

Money Talks

Soriano has a couple years of arbitration left before becoming eligible for free agency in 2029, so the Jays will now inherit the rest of a one-year, $2.9 million deal this year before negotiating again in 2027. 

The right-handed pitcher is on pace for a career year, currently operating with a 9-6 record, 3.29 earned run average and 127 strikeouts in 123 innings. Depending on how he rounds out this season, the desired number for 2027 should be higher than what he earned this season. 

Arjun Nimmala’s Climb To Double A

Arjun Nimmala headlines the return package for Soriano. Nimmala was the No. 3 prospect in Toronto’s pipeline (per Jays Centre) before the deal, and he was raking in Double-A New Hampshire. The 20-year-old shortstop was slashing .279/.355/.451 (.806 OPS) through his first 26 contests at the Double-A level, and he may get even better as he gains more experience. 

Nimmala’s 60-grade power tool and 60-grade arm tool are the highest of any of his attributes, and with a 2028 ETA, he could join the big league ball club in a year and a half, if not sooner. Toronto is struggling mightily on offense, and Nimmala wasn’t going to be able to help this year’s team put up a fight before a potential lockout.

Micheletti’s Pop, Rivero’s Early Impression

Eddie Micheletti Jr. isn’t a top 30 prospect, but there’s an argument he should be. The 24-year-old is a former eighth-round pick from the 2024 MLB Draft, and he’s slashing .251/.347/.454 (.801 OPS) across 93 Double-A ball games this year. Micheletti has already tied his career-high of 14 homers in 13 fewer games, has 45 runs driven in and is rocking a walk rate north of 10%. 

Angel Rivero, on the other hand, is still very green. The 19-year-old Venezuela native has shown promise early, logging an 0-1 record, 2.36 earned run average and earning 52 punchouts in 42 innings in rookie ball.

Who Won the Trade?

The grand question is this: Who won the trade? While Soriano has been extremely impressive for Los Angeles this year, he’s due for a steeper arbitration hit and is playing above his mean. Nimmala playing a premium position like shortstop, and already playing above average as a 20-year-old in Double-A, is valuable. Micheletti Jr. also has pop and could serve as a depth piece on a big league ball club. The value of those two alone, for what could be a couple of years of Jose Soriano, is steep.

The Jays didn’t make enough supplementary moves to keep their window open. If anything, a team that made the World Series last year is in sell mode, considering they dealt right-handed pitcher Kevin Gausman and outfielder Dalton Varsho, among others. The Angels get a B+ in this trade, while the Blue Jays get a C+. 

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