The Nationals and Cardinals have pulled off a one-for-one bullpen swap, with Washington sending right-hander George Soriano to St. Louis in exchange for fellow righty Andre Granillo. In a corresponding move, the Nationals placed starter Trevor Williams on the 60-day injured list, clearing a spot on the 40-man roster for Granillo.
Let’s start with Soriano, who’s had quite the whirlwind offseason. This marks his fourth organization since November-a stretch that’s seen him bounce from the Marlins to the Orioles, then the Braves, then the Nationals, and now the Cardinals. That’s a lot of travel for a 26-year-old trying to establish himself at the big-league level.
Soriano brings parts of three MLB seasons under his belt, but his results have been uneven. His career ERA sits just under 6.00 over 118 innings, with a league-average 22% strikeout rate.
The walk rate-10.3%-is a bit on the high side, and the long ball has been a real issue. He’s allowed 1.75 home runs per nine innings, which is tough to survive in today’s power-driven game.
Still, there’s reason for intrigue. Soriano comes with a live arm, sitting in the 95-96 mph range with both a sinker and a four-seamer.
He also mixes in a slider and changeup, giving him a full four-pitch mix-something you don’t always see in a reliever. The challenge now is consistency.
He’s out of minor league options, so the Cardinals will either need to carry him on the Opening Day roster or risk losing him to waivers again.
The fact that St. Louis gave up an MLB-ready arm to get Soriano says a lot. They didn’t have a shot at claiming him off waivers earlier in the offseason due to their better record in 2025, so this trade was their chance to jump the line.
On the other side of the deal, Washington gets 25-year-old Andre Granillo, a 14th-round pick who made his MLB debut last June. He spent the rest of the season shuttling between Triple-A Memphis and the Cardinals’ bullpen, logging 21 innings across 14 appearances with a 4.71 ERA. While his big-league numbers were modest, Granillo’s minor league track record is eye-catching.
In 42 innings at Triple-A last season, Granillo posted a sparkling 1.29 ERA, backed by a 36% strikeout rate and a career-best 8.7% walk rate. He’s primarily a two-pitch guy-leaning heavily on a sharp slider and a fastball that sits in the 94-95 mph range.
The changeup is in his pocket, but he uses it sparingly. With two minor league options remaining, the Nationals have the flexibility to let him continue developing without the pressure of immediate big-league results.
It’s a bit of a head-scratcher that the Cardinals were willing to move on from Granillo, especially considering the upside he flashed in Triple-A. But it’s clear they’re betting on Soriano’s raw stuff and hoping a change of scenery-plus a more stable situation-can help him turn the corner.
As for Trevor Williams, his move to the 60-day IL is procedural. He underwent internal brace surgery on his elbow last July to repair his UCL, and the recovery timeline for that procedure typically stretches about a year. If all goes well, he could be back in the Nationals’ rotation sometime after the All-Star break.
Both Washington and St. Louis find themselves with plenty of open competition in the bullpen heading into spring.
This trade gives each club a different kind of arm to work with-Soriano brings velocity and experience, while Granillo offers upside and control. It’s a low-risk, potentially high-reward deal on both sides, and one that could pay dividends if either reliever finds his footing in 2026.
