Cubs trade target: José Soriano

Last Friday in this series, I wrote about José Soriano’s teammate Reid Detmers as a possible Cubs trade target.

Many of you didn’t care for that idea as Detmers is more of a fly-ball pitcher.

So, let’s look at Soriano, who is known as more of a ground-ball type who might really be helped by the elite Cubs infield defense.

Soriano is a few months older than Detmers, but both are in their age-27 season in 2026. Soriano got off to a fantastic start this year, including six shutout innings against the Cubs March 31 at Wrigley Field. He was sailing along with an ERA of 0.84 and a WHIP of 0.938 at the end of April (in seven starts) when he went through a stretch much like the one Shōta Imanaga had. In 11 starts in May and June Soriano posted a 5.34 ERA and 1.605 WHIP and nine home runs allowed in 57.1 innings. (Okay, not quite as bad as Imanaga, but you get the idea.)

He’s returned to better pitching in July, posting a 2.74 ERA and 0.957 WHIP in four starts this month, with no homers in 23 innings.

He throws hard, but also has a good selection of offspeed stuff:

Like Detmers, Soriano comes with two years of team control after 2026. He’s making $2.9 million this year so the Cubs would be absorbing a bit under $1 million of contract if they trade for him, which they can certainly handle.

In the Detmers article I mentioned this:

This article by Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon in The Athletic has a note about someone the Angels might be interested in dealing for from the Cubs system:

The Angels, according to a person briefed on their pursuits, are interested in acquiring a young catcher. Owen Ayers, the Cubs’ No. 10 prospect according to The Athletic’s Keith Law, might qualify. Ayers, 25, started the season in High A and is now at Triple A.

I wrote that I’d do that deal, Ayers for Detmers. I’d do the same thing for Soriano.

Would that be enough to make José Soriano a Cub?