Orioles acquire Austin Slater and Livan Soto from Reds

The Orioles today announced that they have acquired outfielder AUSTIN SLATER, infielder LIVAN SOTO, and cash considerations from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later.

Slater, 31, is batting .185/.308/.222 (20-for-108) with one double, one home run, 14 runs scored, 12 RBI, 18 walks, and three hit-by-pitches in 51 games (29 starts) between the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds this season. He was acquired by Cincinnati from San Francisco on July 7. Since the start of 2021, Slater has made 206 appearances off the bench, 41 more than any other player in the big leagues during that time. Slater was originally selected by the Giants in the eighth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of The Bolles School (FL).

Soto, 24, went 0-for-3 in one start for the Reds on June 26, 2024, his lone MLB appearance this season. He had been designated for assignment by Cincinnati earlier today. Soto was claimed by Baltimore on February 8 and was in camp with the Orioles until being designated for assignment on February 16, again claimed by the club on April 11, and then claimed by the Reds on April 19 after being designated for assignment by Baltimore on April 16. He’s appeared in 23 career MLB games, with 18 of them as a member of the Los Angeles Angels in 2022. Soto was originally signed by the Atlanta Braves as an international free agent out of Valencia, Venezuela in July 2016.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Orioles transferred infielder/outfielder JORGE MATEO to the 60-day Injured List (left elbow subluxation) and designated left-handed pitcher MATT KROOK for assignment. Slater has not yet reported and Soto has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk.