The Pirates and left-hander Gregory Soto are in agreement on a one-year, $7.75 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Soto, 30, had a 4.18 ERA in 70 appearances for the Orioles and Mets last season.
Top left-handed reliever Gregory Soto signs one-year contract with Pirates
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Dec 10, 2025, 07:00 ESTUpdated: Dec 10, 2025, 03:42 EST
One of the top left-handed relievers is off the market.
On Tuesday evening, ESPN’s Jorge Castillo reported that the Pittsburgh Pirates have signed left-handed reliever Gregory Soto to a one-year deal worth $7.75 million.
Soto, 30, spent the 2025 season split between the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets. In his tenure with the American League East team, the lefty posted a 3.96 ERA and 3.33 FIP in 36.1 innings pitched, with a 27.5 K% and an 11.3 BB%. Before the 2025 trade deadline, he was sent to the Mets, where he had a 4.50 ERA and 3.55 FIP in 24 innings pitched, with a 21.8 K% and 5 BB%. Overall, Soto finished the season with a 4.18 ERA and 3.42 FIP in 60.1 innings pitched.
His career-best season came in 2022 with the Detroit Tigers, where he had a 3.28 ERA and 3.59 FIP in 60.1 innings pitched. For his career, Soto has a 4.26 ERA and 3.95 FIP in 378.1 innings pitched, along with a 24.3 K% and an 11.4 BB%.
This is the Pirates’ first real move of the postseason, but funnily enough, they were connected to designated hitter Kyle Schwarber. Unfortunately for them, the National League MVP runner up re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, leading to what could be another losing season for the Pirates.
Last season, they finished with a division worst 71-91 record, the fifth-worst record in Major League Baseball. They have a top 10 farm system in the league, but it won’t be shocking if they have another losing season. That said, Soto could be available for the Toronto Blue Jays or another contender to trade for ahead of the 2026 trade deadline thanks to his one year deal.
There aren’t many left-handed relievers on the market, so if the Blue Jays would like an upgrade over Brendon Little and Mason Fluharty, they’ll probably need to look internally (like Ricky Tiedemann and Adam Macko) or via a trade. If they do pursue a lefty reliever, Hoby Milner is likely the best of the bunch.
It’s worth noting that in a recent article for Sportsnet, Ben Nicholson-Smith name dropped former Blue Jay Tim Mayza as a potential option on a minor league deal.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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