TORONTO — In the buildup to the summer trade deadline, the Orioles were uniquely placed for a fire sale. They were a team (theoretically) built for the postseason, and yet their stable of players on expiring contracts were available to clubs actually in the hunt because of how poorly Baltimore began the season.

Seranthony Domínguez became one of the first dominoes to fall. The right-handed reliever was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays in the middle of a doubleheader at Camden Yards on July 29, so he packed his bags and made the walk down the hall to the visiting clubhouse, to a new set of teammates, to a future full of unknowns.

He’s sure glad for that chance now.

Domínguez is the final 2025 Orioles player remaining in the postseason. Of all the players traded away ahead of the deadline — to the Cubs, the Padres, the Mets, the Tigers — it is Domínguez and the Blue Jays who claimed the American League title and are bound for a World Series matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers, beginning Friday.

That uncomfortable walk through the bowels of Camden Yards in July was well worth it. Domínguez settled into a high-leverage role in Toronto and is poised to pitch more critical innings in the Fall Classic.

“I’m so happy and so thankful with the Blue Jays,” Domínguez said. “They brought me here, they believed in me, and I believe in this team, too. I know we can win the whole thing.”

The deal that sent Domínguez to the Blue Jays in exchange for right-hander Juaron Watts-Brown was one of the first of many in July, which saw several bullpen arms exit. Each player impact his new team to varying degrees — the Detroit Tigers designated right-hander Charlie Morton for assignment before the season finished, for instance.

The New York Mets landed left-hander Gregory Soto and center fielder Cedric Mullins then missed the playoffs. The Houston Astros added infielder Ramón Urías; the San Diego Padres brought in infielder Ryan O’Hearn and outfielder Ramón Laureano; the Chicago Cubs nabbed right-hander Andrew Kittredge. That trio of teams, at least, made the postseason.

The Blue Jays, of course, did not make the postseason solely because of Domínguez. They haven’t reached the World Series because of him alone, either. But the 30-year-old, who’s a free agent after the season, performed well upon arriving in Toronto.

Domínguez posted a 3.00 ERA in 21 innings to close out the regular season. And despite playing a part in a bullpen collapse in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series — Domínguez inherited two runners, then conceded a grand slam — his overall numbers have been solid. He pitched a scoreless inning in Game 7 that helped the Blue Jays stay close and eventually prevail.

“I’m here for the team,” Domínguez said. “Whatever they need for the team, then I’m engaged to do my best.”

Domínguez said he didn’t alter anything with his mechanics upon leaving Baltimore, but his pitch usage did shift slightly. His splitter, which performed so well for the Orioles early in the season, became less of a go-to pitch. Instead, Domínguez began using his sweeper more than ever.

He developed that sweeper in 2024, and in August and September, Domínguez began throwing it more than a quarter of the time (up from 10.4% usage). Apart from that, Domínguez looks much the same as he did with Baltimore, where he spent parts of two seasons after a mid-2024 trade away from the Philadelphia Phillies.

When asked to reflect on how the Orioles’ season transpired, Domínguez attributed much of the collapse to injuries, most notably to starting pitchers.

“The Orioles in Baltimore are a really good team too, and just, we didn’t play the way we were waiting for, you know, and we didn’t get the result we were waiting for in Baltimore,” he said. “That’s why they made all those trades and they traded me here, and this is my family now, this is the team I play for and I’m happy to be here.”