Soroka (hamstring) was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday.
Slowed for most of camp by a right hamstring strain, Soroka just made his Grapefruit League debut Wednesday with an outing that lasted only 1.1 innings. He'll need to get stretched out on the farm before Atlanta can map out a plan for his first major-league appearance since 2020. The good news is that he seems to be over this latest physical setback.
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Braves' Michael Soroka: No timetable for MLB return
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Atlanta manager Brian Snitker told reporters that Soroka (hamstring) is likely to go a couple of innings during Wednesday's Grapefruit League start against the Tigers, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Soroka is making his spring debut after missing the first three-plus weeks of Grapefruit League games while recovering from a right hamstring strain. The right-hander will likely throw only a pair of innings in this outing, and Snitker cautioned that there is no timetable for when he'll be ready to return to the mound with Atlanta taking a start-by-start approach with the hurler until he's built up to handle a starting role. Soroka showed great promise in the beginning of his career, but managers should take a wait-and-see approach with Soroka in redraft formats.
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Braves' Michael Soroka: Set for Grapefruit debut Wednesday
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Soroka (hamstring) will make his Grapefruit League debut Wednesday against the Tigers, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
The right-hander is set to throw two innings in his first official game action since he suffered a right hamstring strain prior to camp opening. Soroka reportedly hit 93 mph in a live batting practice session this past Friday and just needs to build his stamina up at this point. He may not be an option to join the Atlanta rotation until late April or early May.
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Braves' Michael Soroka: Season debut weeks away
Rotowire
Soroka (hamstring) might not be ready to join the Atlanta rotation until May, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
The right-hander was able to hit 93 mph with his fastball during a simulated game Friday, which is encouraging, but Soroka has essentially lost all of spring training and is starting over from zero as he tries to get back into game shape. Atlanta might give him a Grapefruit League start before camp breaks, but the team isn't going to rush the 25-year-old considering he's pitched just 38.2 total innings across the last three seasons due to multiple Achilles surgeries and other lower-body injuries. Expect Soroka to spend the first month or so of the season in the minors, and whether he gets the call when he's ready could depend on whether Atlanta even has a vacancy in its rotation at that time.
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Braves' Michael Soroka: Throws live batting practice
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Soroka (hamstring) threw live batting practice Friday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
According to David O'Brien of The Athletic, he was able to get his fastball up to 93 mph over two innings of work. It sounds like a Grapefruit League outing could be on the horizon, as Soroka has been slowed this spring by a right hamstring strain and isn't going to be ready for Opening Day, but he might not miss too much time if he can keep progressing. Once he's healthy and stretched out, the right-hander should push the winner of the battle between Jared Shuster and Dylan Dodd for the fifth starter spot in Atlanta's rotation, but Soroka has thrown only 13.2 big-league innings since his 2019 breakout due to multiple surgeries and injuries.
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Braves' Michael Soroka: Takes part in fielding work
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Soroka (hamstring) was spotted taking part in pitcher's fielding practice Wednesday, but Atlanta has yet to provide an update on when he'll make his spring debut, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Though Soroka received a clean bill of health heading into spring training, the snake-bitten right-hander strained his right hamstring early in camp and had his throwing progression slowed down as a result. While Soroka hasn't been shut down from activity and looks as though he's drawing closer to pitching in a game, the fact that he hasn't yet made his debut this late in spring training essentially takes him out of the running for a spot in Atlanta's Opening Day rotation. Soroka will most likely open the season on the injured list and should continue to ramp up to a starter's workload at the club's spring facility in Florida, leaving Jared Shuster and Dylan Dodd as the primary candidates for the No. 5 spot in the rotation to begin the campaign.
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Braves' Mike Soroka: Could make spring debut soon
Rotowire
Soroka (hamstring) could return to game action soon, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Soroka was considered to be in a battle with Ian Anderson for the fifth starter spot to begin spring, but as Bowman notes, that competition essentially stopped when Soroka came into camp with a right hamstring strain. The talented right-hander has started throwing off the mound, however, and a return to spring action could be in the cards in the coming weeks. Soroka has not appeared in a major-league game since 2020, but he does offer upside based on his success prior to his injuries.
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Braves' Mike Soroka: Plays catch
Rotowire
Soroka (hamstring) played catch Saturday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Soroka has dealt with more than his fair share of injuries recently, missing the majority of the last three seasons due to a pair of Achilles tears as well as arm issues, including a sore elbow which shut him down early last September. His latest issue, a bout of hamstring tightness, doesn't seem likely to significantly hamper his preparation for Opening Day.
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Braves' Mike Soroka: Battling hamstring tightness
Rotowire
Soroka is being held out of throwing due to hamstring tightness, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
He suffered the injury prior to camp and alerted the training staff to it when he arrived, and his shutdown is viewed as precautionary. Still, Soroka can't afford to miss much time as he competes for the final spot in Atlanta's rotation. The 25-year-old hasn't pitched since 2020 and has missed most of the last three seasons due to a pair of Achilles tears.
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Braves' Mike Soroka: Not playing in WBC
Rotowire
Soroka (elbow) will not play for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic as he focuses on competing for the fifth spot in Atlanta's rotation.
Soroka hasn't made a major-league appearance since 2020 due to a pair of Achilles tears and more recently some elbow soreness. He's coming into spring training without any physical limitations but has, understandably, opted to remain in Atlanta's camp rather than pitch in the WBC. Soroka's main competition for the No. 5 spot in the rotation is Ian Anderson.
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Braves' Mike Soroka: Full go for spring
Rotowire
Soroka (elbow) is on the same schedule as the rest of Atlanta's pitchers as he ramps up for camp, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Soroka is just 25 years old and owns a 2.86 ERA in 37 career major-league starts, but the last of those came back in 2020. He tore his Achilles tendon early that season and then tore it again a year later. He made it back on the mound for six minor-league starts late last season before being shut down with elbow soreness. Neither his Achilles nor his elbow seem to be a problem at the moment, however, so he'll be positioned as well as possible to stake a claim for a rotation spot this spring.
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Braves' Mike Soroka: Avoids arbitration with Atlanta
Rotowire
Soroka (elbow) signed a one-year, $2.8 million contract with Atlanta on Friday, avoiding arbitration.
Soroka has endured a number of injury setbacks in his career, most notably a pair of surgeries on his Achilles' tendon. Shortly after his return from the injured list last year, Soroka came down with elbow soreness, but it would seem Atlanta is confident the right-hander will be able to contribute to the major-league team in 2023.
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Braves' Mike Soroka: Lands on injured list
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Soroka was placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday due to elbow soreness, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Soroka spent most of the season recovering from an Achilles injury and was sent to Gwinnett after being reinstated from the injured list at the beginning of September. He posted a 6.23 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 13 innings over three starts following his activation but will now miss the remainder of the season. However, the right-hander isn't believed to be dealing with any structural damage, so it's possible that he's ready for the start of spring training in 2023.
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Braves' Mike Soroka: Activated, sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
Soroka (Achilles) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday.
The 25-year-old made his last rehab start with Gwinnett on Aug. 27 and gave up four runs over 4.2 innings while throwing 75 pitches, and he'll remain with the affiliate now that he's been fully cleared. Soroka figures to make his season debut for Atlanta at some point down the stretch, but for now he'll stick at Triple-A.
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Braves' Mike Soroka: Will make another rehab start
Rotowire
Soroka (Achilles) will make a rehab start with Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Soroka threw 75 pitches in his last rehab start, but he was not particularly sharp, so he will throw at least once more for Gwinnett. If all goes well Friday, his next start could come with Atlanta.
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Braves' Mike Soroka: Next rehab outing set
Rotowire
Soroka (Achilles) will make his next rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Gwinnett, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
Soroka threw 58 pitches over 3.1 frames in his previous outing with Gwinnett last weekend, and he should continue building up his workload. The 25-year-old could require one additional rehab start after Saturday and lines up for a return from the injured list in early September.
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Braves' Mike Soroka: Covers 3.1 innings in rehab outing
Rotowire
Soroka (Achilles) recorded no strikeouts and scattered six hits and one walk over 3.1 inning while allowing two earned runs Sunday in his rehab start for Triple-A Gwinnett.
Soroka wasn't nearly as sharp Sunday as he was in his first rehab start Tuesday at High-A Rome, with whom he struck out eight over four scoreless innings. That said, the right-hander escaped the outing at Gwinnett without any setbacks, doing so while building up to 58 pitches (39 strikes). Soroka will likely make at least one or two more rehab starts in the upper levels of the minors before potentially returning from the 60-day injured list in the first week of September and taking back a spot in the Atlanta rotation.
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Braves' Mike Soroka: Making next rehab start Sunday
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Soroka (Achilles) will continue his rehab assignment Sunday with Triple-A Gwinnett, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
The 25-year-old began the rehab stint Tuesday with High-A Rome and threw 45 pitches over four scoreless innings, and he'll move up to Triple-A for his next outing. Soroka hasn't pitched in the majors since 2020 and is likely to require a couple more rehab starts after Sunday before potentially being activated by Atlanta in early September.
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Braves' Mike Soroka: Possible waiver wire pickups
Rotowire
In maybe the most surprising and inspiring development of the season, Soroka could be just a couple of weeks from returning to the Braves rotation. He's had three surgeries on his right Achilles tendon since we last saw him, rupturing it twice. Even once would make for an injury without much precedent in baseball. The prognosis has been dire in other sports. Just a week ago, it seemed like a long shot he'd return in any capacity this year, but his first rehab start on Tuesday went so well, with him striking out eight over four shutout innings, that it seems possible he could reclaim a rotation spot by the start of September. Still only 25, the ground-ball specialist has 15 wins, a 2.86 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP in 37 career starts.
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Braves' Mike Soroka: Flawless in first rehab start
Rotowire
Soroka (Achilles) struck out eight while allowing one hit and no walks over four scoreless frames Tuesday in his first rehab start for High-A Rome.
Making his first regular-season appearance at any level since Aug. 3, 2020 after an extended recovery from two surgeries to address ruptures of his right Achilles' tendon, Soroka looked about as good as Atlanta could have hoped. The 25-year-old retired the first 11 batters he faced and pumped in 35 of his 45 pitches for strikes, with his workload suggesting that Atlanta intends to bring him back as a rotation option once he's reinstated from the 60-day injured list. The 2019 All-Star is expected to require at least two or three more rehab starts to get fully stretched out, so Atlanta likely won't plan on activating him until the active roster expands to 28 men after Sept. 1.
