Atlanta Braves right-hander Michael Soroka was fantastic as a rookie in 2018, with a 3.51 ERA in 25.2 innings.
Then, he had his true breakout campaign a year later, with a 2.68 ERA in 174.2 frames in one of the toughest offensive environments in recent times (the year of the “juiced” ball).
He made three starts in 2020, but then the worst happened.
He tore his Achilles tendon and was declared out for the season.
Then, a year later, he suffered a similar tear and the clock was restarted again.
Between one injury and another, he lost roughly three years; but now, it’s his time to shine again.
It's been 1,029 days since Michael Soroka stepped on a big league mound.
Tonight, he returns for the first time since tearing his Achilles twice. 👏 pic.twitter.com/KzsLBlYnnN
— MLB (@MLB) May 29, 2023
He was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to make his season debut against the Oakland Athletics.
He hasn’t appeared in a major league game since August 3, 2020.
He’s pitched adequately for Gwinnett this year, with a passable 4.33 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and a 35/11 K/BB ratio across 35 1/3 innings (eight starts).
It remains to be seen where his arm is at after such a long layoff, but all the attention will be on how his leg responds after the start.
It shouldn’t be a problem since he has done it eight times already at Triple-A.
If Soroka impresses, he can get a few outings in the Braves’ starting rotation before the injured Max Fried (forearm) is ready to return, which is expected to be around the All-Star break.
Soroka is not an overpowering guy: even at his best, in 2019, his fastball rarely topped 94 mph.
That could bode well for his future, but he needs to show he can get back to getting MLB hitters out to earn an extended chance.
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