Cardinals' George Soriano May Have Unlocked New Weapon for 2026

The St. Louis Cardinals were active this past offseason, trading away all of their veteran players and stockpiling as much young talent as possible, especially on the pitching side. One move they made was the trade for George Soriano, who they acquired from the Washington Nationals.

Soriano is a high-velocity pitcher who brings a lot of upside to the Cardinals' bullpen. On Tuesday night, he played a key role in the Cardinals comeback win over Washington, earning the win with two scoreless innings.

He even showed off a 93-mph changeup and a "gyro" slider in the win, two things that manager Oli Marmol is very excited about and believes could be a weapon in his bullpen.

George Soriano may have unlocked cheat code

Sep 21, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Miami Marlins relief pitcher George Soriano (62) pitches against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

“You mess with it in spring, then you introduce it in somewhat low-leverage situations and then you’re forced into a situation like (Tuesday) night when you have to throw it in leverage,” Marmol told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “And it’s a weapon that you have to feel comfortable going to at that point. Sometimes, you’re forced into it.”

Soriano put the gyro slider to work in spring training, and it has impressed Marmol thus far. If he can continue to make good use of that and his changeup, he could very easily find himself in the mix for high-leverage spots.

The Cardinals had been looking for arms with upside, and Soriano certainly is an arm that provides that for St. Louis. As long as he stays healthy, Soriano could be a big weapon for St. Louis out of its bullpen.

The team's pitching staff hasn't exactly performed up to par this season. Even after a series win in Washington, they have a 4.95 team ERA, the second worst in the National League. But if Soriano can continue to perform well, the Cardinals could see some improvement from their staff.

The 27-year-old right-hander owns a 3.00 ERA in five appearances thus far and has been one of the Cardinals' most reliable relievers. Soriano bounced around several organizations in the offseason being claimed by the Baltimore Orioles off waivers from the Miami Marlins, only to be designated for assignment twice more, ending up with the Atlanta Braves and Nationals before the Cardinals came calling.

But the Cardinals may have the opportunities he needs to prove himself as a quality relief pitcher. It will be interesting to see how he fares the rest of the way.