New Reliever Was Perfect Bullpen Addition for Pirates
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PITTSBURGH — It’s early into the season, but a few things are becoming abundantly apparent to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Pirates enter their home opener against the Baltimore Ravens with a 3-3 record. It’s quite an impressive feat they’ve managed, especially after losing three of their first four contests so decisively. But with 16 runs in their last two outings, the Pirates are suddenly alive and ready to go in 2026.
A huge piece of this team's success, both through the early going and for the remainder of this season, is the Pirates’ bullpen. The team made a few offseason moves to add depth and more reliability, but so far, no reliever has been more dominant or a better addition than Gregory Soto.
Soto’s Early Performance Turning Heads
The Pirates made a big push for the 31-year-old veteran at the MLB Winter Meetings, resulting in the organization signing Soto to a one-year deal that pays a fully guaranteed $7.75 million. The Dominican Republic-born pitcher has served many roles in a bullpen over his MLB career, spanning from a 30-save season with the Detroit Tigers in 2022 to becoming a premier setup and hold man over the past two seasons with the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets.
Through his first few outings with the Buccos, he’s been a lights-out, late inning reliever. He rises up in the big moments and brings his best stuff. In four appearances and 4.1 innings pitched so far, he’s been an absolute menace for opposing batters. He’s faced 17 total batters so far and he's struck out eight of them. He's allowed just two hits and two walks for zero runs.
Why Soto Matters So Much
Last year, the Pirates were one of the better performing bullpens in the National League and the MLB, but there is always room for improvement. The team’s bullpen finished with a 3.83 ERA, which ranked fifth in the NL and 13th in the MLB.
The one notable area they struggled in 2025 was giving up leads late in the game. The team blew 26 total saves last season, compared to their 36 saves, they were successful just over half of the time at securing the victory.
Soto brings certainty and trust in late-inning situations. He can close games if needed or preserve a tight lead in the 7th or 8th inning before Dennis Santana comes on. That’s something they haven’t had in several years, and it’s why Gregory Soto is a perfect addition to their bullpen.
Jacob is a featured writer covering the Pittsburgh Steelers for Steelers On SI and the NHL for Breakaway On SI. He also co-hosts the All Steelers Talk podcast. Previous work covering the NHL for Inside the Penguins and The Hockey News.