Orioles Acquire Austin Slater, Livan Soto

Today: Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports reports that the Reds will receive cash considerations in the deal, not a player to be called up later.

July 30: Just before the deadline, the Orioles have started Austin Slater and an infielder Livan Soto and financial considerations in a trade with the Reds, according to announcements from both clubs. The Reds receive a cash consideration or a player to be named later.

Slater is on his second trip this month, as Cincinnati acquired the outfielder in a deal with the Giants three weeks ago. But the Reds just caught on France from the Mariners, possibly leading to Slater being cut from their plans.

He has been a strong right-handed defender for a long time who has done well for the team. He hit just .226/.316/.334 against righties in his 84 career wRC+ but his slash against southpaws is .274/.364/.433, leading to a 122 wRC+.

On the defensive side of things, Slater has nearly 3,000 outfield innings to his credit, nearly 1,200 of those in the middle. Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating rate him as a low center but good cornerback, while Outs Above Average rates him strong in all three spots.

O’s are sold Austin Hays for Christian Pache again Seranthony Domínguez but it was reported that they were looking for a right-handed hitter to take over the at-bats that were available after Hays’ departure. It looks like Slater will be the one to step in for that job.

Soto, 24, is clearly the favorite of Baltimore’s front office. They said he was fired from the Angels in February, but the Angels said he would return later that month. The O’s made a second bid for him in April but quickly moved him back, when the Reds made a bid for him.

He has a small sample of major league experience, with 23 games spread over the past two seasons. He hit .280/.378/.376 in Triple-A this year with a 101 wRC+. He can play three infield positions in left field at first base and has a little experience in center field. He can still be picked up until the end of this year and an additional season.

UC. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic first reported on X that Slater would go to the O’s. Mark Sheldon of MLB.com relayed Soto’s inclusion on the X. Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer first passed the money on to X.