According to ESPN, the Toronto Blue Jays have acquired right-handed starter from the Los Angeles Angels in a multi-player trade. Heading to the Angels are highly regarded shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala, minor league outfielder Eddie Micheletti, and teenage pitching prospect Angel Rivero.
The deal follows Toronto’s earlier decision to trade veteran starter Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs. Unlike Gausman, who was in the final year of his five-year, $110 million contract, Soriano gives the Blue Jays a younger, more affordable rotation piece. The 26-year-old is under club control through the 2028 season and is earning just $2.9 million this year, making him a long-term addition to Toronto’s pitching staff.
Soriano is also in the midst of a career-best campaign: his 3.29 ERA would be a personal best in the majors, and while he leads the American League in walks allowed, the 6-foot-3 right-hander has managed to keep the ball in the park with regularity once again while limiting hits and missing bats. Soriano’s 0.6 home runs per nine in 2025 led the AL, and in 2026, he’s at 0.9, while giving up 7.1 hits per nine innings.
José Soriano joins a revamped Blue Jays rotation that already features major offseason addition Dylan Cease and promising rookie Trey Yesavage. Toronto, however, is preparing for significant turnover on the pitching staff, with Shane Bieber—last season’s marquee trade deadline acquisition—expected to reach free agency, while Kevin Gausman’s departure further thins the veteran presence. In the short term, Soriano provides a much-needed boost, easing the club’s reliance on 42-year-old Max Scherzer and the inconsistent Jameson Taillon over the remainder of the 2026 campaign. His team-friendly contract and years of club control also make him a valuable long-term piece.
The Angels, meanwhile, receive a package highlighted by one of baseball’s top young infield prospects. Eddie Micheletti, 24, has spent the season at Double-A New Hampshire, where he is slashing .251/.347/.454. Nineteen-year-old right-hander Angel Rivero has split time between the rotation and bullpen in the Rookie League, flashing an impressive ability to generate strikeouts despite occasional command issues.
The centerpiece of the return is 20-year-old shortstop Arjun Nimmala. Widely regarded as one of the game’s premier prospects, Nimmala entered the season ranked among baseball’s top 100 by Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and Baseball Prospectus. He has advanced through four minor league levels in 2026, including Double-A, and has continued to impress offensively with a .279/.355/.451 slash line while holding his own against more advanced competition.
