If the Milwaukee Brewers want to make a real splash, José Soriano looks like the kind of arm that fits the bill without forcing them into the Tarik Skubal-sized swing. That kind of blockbuster would be the loudest move they could make, but it would also run against the way this team usually operates. Soriano is the more believable target, and he could still change the shape of the rotation.
The Angels right-hander has given them plenty to like this season. He’s 9-6 with a 3.29 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 123 innings, and he’s already made 22 starts, giving Los Angeles a steady presence every turn through the rotation.
What makes Soriano so appealing is that he doesn’t just bring velocity. He brings a full arsenal.
His five-pitch mix starts with a sinker that pairs with a four-seam fastball that sits just a hair higher in velocity, 97.2 miles per hour compared to 96.4, while the sinker adds more horizontal movement from a relatively shallow 34° arm angle. The raw heat matters, but the way the pitches work together is what makes him tough to square up.
The numbers back that up. Soriano ranks in the 89th percentile in whiff rate at 31.4%, also lands in the 89th percentile in ground-ball rate at 52.3%, and sits in the 68th percentile in strikeout rate at 24.9%.
He leans on four pitches - the sinker, curveball, four-seam fastball and splitter - at least 19% of the time each, which keeps hitters from sitting on one look. His slider, though, may be the nastiest weapon in the mix.
In a small sample, it has held hitters to a .188 average and hasn’t allowed an extra-base hit in 19 plate appearances.
The price tag would not be light. The Angels have reportedly been looking for a young catcher in return for either Soriano or Reid Detmers, and the Brewers do have two upper-level catching prospects in Jeferson Quero and Marco Dinges who could headline a package. Even then, Soriano would likely require another one of Milwaukee’s top outfield or pitching prospects to get the deal done.
That kind of cost makes sense only if the Brewers believe Soriano can help now and keep helping later. Because he’s controllable beyond this year, he would give them more than a short-term boost. He’d deepen the rotation for this season and the next two, and for a team trying to push harder toward a World Series run, that kind of value is hard to ignore.
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Skubal would not be alone on the wish list, either, with the Dodgers, Yankees, Braves and Rays also expected to ask about him. For Milwaukee, the appeal goes beyond simply adding another frontline starter, because the idea of pairing Skubal with Jacob Misiorowski gives the Brewers a potential one-two punch that could change how they line up against Los Angeles when the games matter most. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Suddenly Face A Bigger Lineup Question Than Fans Expected
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The timing matters because the Brewers have been trying to keep the group intact while sorting through the edges of the roster. Jake Bauers is continuing to play through a chronic issue in his right big toe without an injured list move, and the club also saw utility infielder Braden Shewmake move on after being designated for assignment. For a team trying to stay steady on a long road swing, those are the kinds of little developments that can quickly add up. [Read more 🡒]