The Orioles traded Gregory Soto to the Mets and placed Felix Bautista on the IL on July 25. See how this bullpen shake-up impacts Baltimore's 2025 season.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when you thought the Orioles were settling into a rhythm, the front office hit the reset button. In a whirlwind Friday, the Birds traded reliable lefty Gregory Soto to the Mets and placed All-Star closer Felix Bautista on the injured list, sending a clear message: the future is now, and no one is safe as the trade deadline approaches.
One day you have a solid bullpen with Soto and Bautista, the next you're calling up prospects and hoping for the best. That's the life of a team in transition.
The biggest news of the day dropped when the Orioles sent LHP Gregory Soto to the New York Mets for two right-handed pitching prospects, Wellington Aracena and Cameron Foster. Soto, who had just notched his first save of the season, was a dependable arm in the 'pen. This move screams long-term strategy. While losing Soto hurts the 2025 bullpen, acquiring young, controllable arms like Aracena and Foster is a classic front office move, stocking the farm system for sustained success down the road. It's a tough pill to swallow for fans wanting to win now, but it's a clear signal of the organization's priorities.
As if the Soto trade wasn't enough of a blow to the bullpen, the team also announced that closer Felix 'The Mountain' Bautista is heading to the 15-day injured list with an undisclosed injury, retroactive to July 21. Losing your All-Star closer is devastating, full stop. To fill the immediate void, RHP Kade Strowd has been recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. The silver lining? There's positive news on the rehab front for Tyler Wells (UCL surgery) and Albert Suárez (subscapularis strain). Wells could be back by mid-August, and Suárez is nearing a return to live BP, but for now, the back end of the bullpen is a massive question mark.
Amidst all the roster chaos, the Orioles still had a game to play, opening a series against the Colorado Rockies at Camden Yards. Coming in with a 45-57 record after a thrilling 4-3 victory in Cleveland, the O's were looking to build some momentum. While the game's result wasn't available at press time, the focus will be on how the remaining bats, like Ramon Laureano (.277 AVG, 14 HR) and Ryan O'Hearn (.281 AVG), can carry the load. Meanwhile, the future of the outfield, No. 2 prospect Enrique Bradfield Jr., remains sidelined in Double-A with a hamstring strain from the Futures Game, a reminder that the path for prospects isn't always a straight line.
This Friday was a stark reminder of the Orioles' dual reality: competing nightly while aggressively building for tomorrow. With the bullpen in disarray and the trade deadline just days away, expect more rumors and potentially more moves. Who will step up in the 'pen? Will the offense be enough to carry the team through this turbulence? The next week will be crucial in defining the direction for the rest of the 2025 season and beyond.
