| Gregory Soto | |
|---|---|
.png) Soto in 2019 | |
| Baltimore Orioles – No. 65 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1995-02-11)February 11, 1995 (age 30) Haina,Dominican Republic | |
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 11, 2019, for the Detroit Tigers | |
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 14–29 |
| Earned run average | 4.27 |
| Strikeouts | 340 |
| Saves | 55 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Gregory Soto (born February 11, 1995) is a Dominican professionalbaseballpitcher for theBaltimore Orioles ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for theDetroit Tigers andPhiladelphia Phillies. He made his MLB debut in 2019 with the Tigers, and is a two-timeAll-Star.
Soto signed with theDetroit Tigers as an international free agent on December 26, 2012. He made his professional debut in 2013 with theDominican Summer League Tigers, pitching to a 1-2 record and 4.82 ERA in 16 games (12 starts), and returned there in 2014 where he improved, going 5–3 with a 3.20 ERA in 16 games (ten starts). He spent 2015 with theGulf Coast Tigers andConnecticut Tigers, posting a combined 2–5 record and 3.23 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 39 total innings between the two teams, and 2016 with Connecticut where he was 3–2 with a 3.03 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 15 starts.
Soto started 2017 with theWest Michigan Whitecaps and was promoted to theLakeland Flying Tigers during the season.[1] After going 12–2 with a 2.25 ERA and 144strikeouts between the two teams, he was named the Tigers minor league pitcher of the year.[2][3]
On November 20, 2017, the Tigers added Soto to their40-man roster to protect him from theRule 5 draft.[4]
He spent the 2018 season with Lakeland, going 8–8 with a 4.45 ERA in 113 innings. On January 11, 2019, Soto was suspended for 20 games by Major League Baseball for “conduct detrimental to baseball" under Article XII(B). The suspension started onOpening Day.[5] He was activated on April 20 and optioned to Lakeland, appearing in one game before being promoted to theErie SeaWolves.[6]
Soto made his major league debut on May 11, 2019, against theMinnesota Twins, starting the second game of a doubleheader as the 26th man.[7] He appeared mostly in middle relief for the 2019 Tigers, making seven starts among his 33 appearances and posting a 5.77 ERA with 45 strikeouts.
Soto made the Tigers roster out of 2020 summer camp. On August 29, 2020, he earned his first careersave against theMinnesota Twins.[8] With the2020 Detroit Tigers, he appeared in 27 games, all in relief, compiling a 0–1 record with 4.30 ERA and 29 strikeouts in 23.0 innings pitched.[9]
Soto made the Tigers opening day roster for the2021 season. Despite allowing a two-run homer, he earned the save in a 3–2 opening day win over theCleveland Indians on April 1.[10] Soto was named to the 2021 American League All-Star team. At the time of his selection, Soto was 4–1 with a 2.18 ERA. He had 38 strikeouts in 33 innings, and was six-for-six in save opportunities.[11] Soto pitched one inning in the All-Star game, allowing a solo home run toJ. T. Realmuto.[12] Soto suffered a fractured finger after getting hit by a line drive on September 17, and was shut down for the remainder of the season.[13] He finished 2021 with a 6–3 record, 3.39 ERA and 18 saves in 19 opportunities, while striking out 76 batters in63+2⁄3 innings.
In the 2022 season, Soto continued his role as the primary closer for the Tigers. On July 10, Soto was selected to represent the Tigers at the 2022 All-Star game, his second consecutive All-Star selection. At the time of the selection, Soto had 17 saves in 19 opportunities, with a 2.67 ERA and 31 strikeouts in30+1⁄3 innings.[14] In the All-Star game, Soto came to the mound with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. After walkingIan Happ, Soto coaxed a ground ball from 2022 Home Run Derby champJuan Soto for an inning-ending force out.[15] Soto pitched in 64 games for the 2022 Tigers, compiling 30 saves, a 3.28 ERA and 60 strikeouts in60+1⁄3 innings.
On January 7, 2023, the Tigers traded Soto andKody Clemens to thePhiladelphia Phillies in exchange for outfielderMatt Vierling, infielderNick Maton, and catcherDonny Sands.[16] On January 13, Soto agreed to a one-year, $3.925 million contract with the Phillies, avoiding salary arbitration.[17] He made 69 appearances out of thebullpen for the Phillies, compiling a 4.62 ERA with 65 strikeouts and 3 saves across60+1⁄3 innings pitched.[18]
Soto made 43 appearances for Philadelphia in 2024, recording a 4.08 ERA with 44 strikeouts and 2 saves across35+1⁄3 innings pitched.[19]
On July 30, 2024, Soto was traded to theBaltimore Orioles in exchange for minor league pitchersSeth Johnson and Moisés Chace.[20]
Despite pitching to a 5.09 ERA with the Orioles, due to giving up eight earned runs in his first three appearances, Soto allowed just two earned runs in his final16+1⁄3 innings pitched (1.10 ERA), holding batters to a .190 average while collecting 20 strikeouts. He made the Orioles AL Wild Card roster, appearing in one game as the O's lost the series to the Royals 2-0.
Soto is mainly a two-pitch pitcher. He throws asinking two-seamfastball in the 94 to 99 MPH range (topping out at 101 MPH), and aslider in the 86 to 93 MPH range (topping out at 93 MPH). He also throws an occasionalfour-seam fastball that averages 96–99 MPH.[21]