Riding a wave of momentum amid a four-game winning streak, the New York Mets (59-44) are looking to stay on the attack by bolstering their bullpen. They completed a trade with the Baltimore Orioles on Friday afternoon, acquiring two-time All-Star reliever Gregory Soto, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Pitching reigns supreme in October, and president of baseball operations David Stearns is wasting no time in adding a potentially difference-making hurler.

The respected executive is sending right-handers Wellington Aracena and Cameron Foster back to Baltimore, according to SNY's Andy Martino. The former was the Mets' No. 19-ranked prospect, and the latter was a 14th-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. The O's may just be getting started, as they come to grips with their brutal decline and shift their focus to the future.

New York is also moving with purpose, but with a different goal in mind. Although fans are surely hoping for a bigger splash before the July 31 MLB trade deadline passes, this latest acquisition is quite notable.

While Soto is a few years removed from his peak Detroit Tigers form, he gives the Mets another lefty that could take the mound in pivotal situations. If this team is going to finish what it started in 2024 and win the National League pennant this year, it will need variety in its pen.

Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Tucker and Christian Yelich are just some of the imposing southpaw sluggers manager Carlos Mendoza will have to decipher this October. Soto is a possible solution.

The 30-year-old has a 3.96 ERA with 44 strikeouts and 18 walks in 36 1/3 innings pitched this season. He is weathering some control issues — walked three batters in a rough outing Tuesday versus the Cleveland Guardians, but Soto can get himself out of trouble by fanning 27.5 percent of the hitters he faces. Stearns should sleep soundly knowing he added a left-hander who boasts swing-and-miss stuff at an affordable rate.

But his job is far from done. The Mets' front office will keep working the phones and stay alert for future opportunities to upgrade the roster.

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