Cardinals, Nationals Make a Swap: George Soriano and Andre Granillo
In a recent trade, the Cardinals and Nationals have swapped right-handed relievers, with St. Louis acquiring George Soriano and Washington picking up Andre Granillo. As part of the deal, the Nationals placed starting pitcher Trevor Williams on the 60-day injured list. This move comes after the Nationals designated Soriano for assignment and claimed left-handed pitcher Ken Waldichuk off waivers.
Soriano's Journey
George Soriano, a 26-year-old right-hander, has had a tumultuous offseason, changing organizations four times since November. He previously played for the Marlins, who waived him at the start of the offseason. Soriano then landed with the Orioles, followed by the Braves, and finally the Nationals via successive waiver claims and designations. With an ERA of just under 6.00 over 118 big league innings, Soriano's performance has been a concern. He has a league-average strikeout rate of 22% but a concerning 10.3% walk percentage. The main issue lies in his homer-prone nature, giving up 1.75 longballs per nine innings.
Soriano's Pitching Style
Soriano's pitching repertoire includes a sinker and four-seam fastball in the 95-96 mph range, complemented by a slider and changeup. However, with no minor league options remaining, he must either make the team or face another designation. This trade provides Soriano with an opportunity to find stability after a chaotic offseason.
Granillo's Profile
Andre Granillo, a 25-year-old right-hander, was a 14th-round draft pick who was called up for the first time last June. He spent the rest of the season going back and forth between Triple-A Memphis and the MLB. Granillo has a 4.71 ERA through his first 21 innings in the big leagues, with high strikeout and walk rates. However, his approach in the big leagues has been more pitch-to-contact.
Granillo's Pitching Style
Granillo's pitching style relies heavily on his slider, sitting in the 94-95 mph range. He occasionally mixes in a changeup but is primarily a two-pitch reliever. Coming off an excellent season at Triple-A Memphis, where he had a 1.29 ERA, 36% strikeout rate, and a career-low 8.7% walk percentage across 42 innings, Granillo still has two minor league options remaining.
The Trade Analysis
The Cardinals' decision to trade Granillo for Soriano is surprising, as Granillo had a successful season at Triple-A. It suggests that the Cardinals are not confident in Granillo's ability to translate his Triple-A success to the MLB level. Additionally, the Cardinals had the opportunity to claim Soriano off waivers, but their priority was determined by the inverse order of last season's record, and they had a higher win percentage than the Nationals.
Williams' Injury
Trevor Williams' placement on the 60-day injured list is a formality, as he underwent internal brace surgery to repair his UCL in his elbow last July. This recovery process will take a year, and he is expected to return after the All-Star Break.
Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported the trade shortly before the official announcements.
