José Soriano is on John Schneider's radar, but the Angels right-hander may be a riskier Blue Jays trade target than his ERA suggests.
That is the warning attached to the latest deadline chatter around Soriano. Sporting News pointed to Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller arguing that contending clubs like Toronto and Chicago need to dig deeper before buying in.
On the surface, Soriano looks like a strong fit. He owns a 3.03 ERA, and that kind of number always gets attention from a club still hunting for another starter.
The problem is how that line has been built. Miller split Soriano's season into 2 parts, with a 0.24 ERA through his first 6 starts and a 4.97 ERA since then.
That is a very different profile from the one Toronto should want in July. It says the early shine was real, but it also says the league has started getting a better read on him. This last sentence is an inference based on the article's split between Soriano's first 6 starts and the rest of his season.
The deeper numbers only push the concern further. Sporting News reported Soriano has issued an MLB-high 46 walks, and free passes are exactly the kind of problem that can wreck a good-looking starter line fast.
That is why the projection side matters here. Miller noted Soriano's FIP sits at 3.88, his xFIP at 3.71, and his xERA at 4.12, all of which point toward more regression ahead.
Toronto would be paying for more than this season
This is where the Blue Jays need to be careful. Soriano does not reach free agency until after the 2028 season, which means the Angels would ask for a bigger return than a normal short-term arm.
That makes the whole idea tougher to defend. Toronto would not be paying for a rental it can walk away from. It would be paying real prospect value for a pitcher whose trend line is moving the wrong way. This is an inference based on Soriano's control through 2028 and the regression warning in the report.
There is still talent here. Sporting News reminded readers that Soriano had briefly entered early Cy Young chatter because of how dominant he looked out of the gate.
But the Blue Jays do not need a deadline dream built on April. They need a starter they can trust in August and September, when walk trouble and shaky underlying numbers usually get exposed harder. This is an inference based on the article's emphasis on Soriano's control issues and expected regression.
That is why this feels like a fit Toronto should question, not chase blindly. José Soriano has the kind of arm that can tempt a buyer, but right now he looks more like a trade gamble than the clean rotation answer the Blue Jays really need.
Should the Blue Jays stay away from a Jose Soriano trade?
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