2 traded ex-Phillies who are struggling with new teams, 1 who is excelling
Let's check in on the players the Phillies traded at the deadline to see how they're performing for their new teams.
At the trade deadline, the Philadelphia Phillies ended up having to make a few of their active roster players expendable to help bolster their roster for the stretch run. Their main key additions of outfielder Austin Hays, along with relievers Tanner Banks and Carlos Estévez have all made an impact with the Phillies to some extent so far.
But what about the players the Phillies traded away? How have they been performing with their new teams since the deadline?
2 traded ex-Phillies who are struggling with new teams, 1 who is excelling
Let's take a look at the three former Phillies who find themselves playing in new uniforms and see whether they might be making the Phillies regret trading them or if the moves still look good.
Gregory Soto struggling with the Orioles
One of the Phillies' trade deadline moves involved sending disgruntled reliever Gregory Soto to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for minor league pitching prospects Seth Johnson and Moisés Chace. After struggling in his National League stint with the Phillies for the past two seasons, Soto was hoping that a return to the American League could help him rediscover the success he once had when he was a member of the Detroit Tigers.
Things seemed to have actually gone from bad to worse for the 29-year-old veteran. If Phillies fans thought his 4.08 ERA and 1.59 WHIP with the club were awful, Soto has posted an unfathomable 12.71 ERA and 2.65 WHIP while giving up eight earned runs on 10 hits in just 5 2/3 innings pitched over eight appearances since joining the Orioles. However, most of that damage can be attributed to two of his first three outings with the Orioles.
Despite the rough start to his time in Baltimore, Soto has held his opponents scoreless in his past five outings, showing that he may be turning the corner as he adjusts to his new bullpen and back to the AL.
Soto has proven in the past to be a dominant reliever with closer material when actually on his game and not erratic. He will now get all the opportunity to re-establish that pedigree with the AL East contenders as they head toward the stretch run.
Cristian Pache struggling with the Marlins
Outfielder Cristian Pache was part of the package that the Phillies sent to the Orioles in exchange for former All-Star outfielder Austin Hays. Pache showed time and time again that he could be counted on for elite defense whenever he got a chance to play with the Phillies.
The only problem was that his performance at the plate often left a lot to be desired. With the Phillies looking for a candidate who could contribute both offensively and defensively from the outfield position, Pache and his career .181 average and .521 OPS became the odd man out.
He never really got a chance to settle in with the Orioles, as his time with the club ended up being short-lived. Pache was designated for assignment by the Orioles less than a week after being acquired from the Phillies to make room for some of their other trade deadline acquisitions. Overall, he appeared in just three games for Baltimore, primarily as a late-inning defensive replacement/pinch runner, while recording one hit in his only at-bat in an Orioles uniform.
The Miami Marlins eventually claimed Pache off waivers and he resumed a bench role, similar to his time with the Phillies.
In 14 games with the Marlins, he has posted a .192 average and .596 OPS, with one home run, three RBI, one stolen base, two walks and 10 strikeouts in 28 plate appearances. With a rebuilding Miami team, Pache should be able to get more opportunities to play if he can show that he can get the job done when called upon. But his current slow start with his new club isn’t doing him any favors.
Seranthony Domínguez excelling with the Orioles
Long-time Phillies reliever Seranthony Domínguez was the other player involved in the Hays trade with the Orioles. After struggling with the Phillies for much of the past two seasons, he was hoping a change of scenery could help bring about a change in his fortunes. With the Orioles pitching staff decimated by injuries this season, Domínguez was expected to become a core member of their bullpen going forward.
Domínguez appears to have found new life with his new team. In 14 appearances, he has a 2.77 ERA and 0.77 WHIP, with just three walks and 16 strikeouts in 13 innings of work, including a hot stretch in which he gave up just one run on four hits in his first nine outings with his new club. More importantly, he has even temporarily usurped Craig Kimbrel in the Orioles’ closer role. Despite a couple of setbacks, he has gone a perfect 5-for-5 in save opportunities.
Domínguez had always possessed the stuff to be a dominant back-end of the bullpen reliever in the majors. It was more whether he could actually deliver on a consistent basis that was his main issue. As he continues to get himself comfortable with his new environment and teammates in Baltimore, he may eventually become a trade that the Phillies wished they could take back down the road.
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