OAKLAND, Calif. — It has taken Michael Soroka a long time to get to this day.
On August 3, 2020, Soroka tore his right Achilles tendon while coming off the mound to cover first base in a game against the New York Mets—the Braves ended up losing 7-3, and Soroka was lost for the rest of the season. Then in a freak accident, Soroka tore the same tendon again ten months later, in late June 2021, when he was walking in the Braves’ clubhouse for treatment and rehab, which took him out of baseball for another year.
On Sunday, Braves manager Brian Snikter announced that Soroka would make his first Major League start in nearly three years against the Oakland Athletics on Monday. The Braves optioned Dereck Rodriguez to Triple-A Gwinnett after he pitched two innings on Sunday.
Snitker said about Soroka’s return, via MLB.com: “What he went through the past couple years, that will really test you,” He added, “This guy was upbeat, and he was driven to get back out there. I’ve got a lot of respect for how he went about it. It’s going to be cool. I’m excited about getting him back out there.”
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On the latest episode of the Locked On Braves podcast, host Jake Mastroianni discusses Soroka’s return to the Braves. He said, “It’s going to be emotional. It’s going to be exciting. (And I) can’t wait to watch it.”
Soroka was an All-Star in his 2019 rookie season, while finishing sixth in the National League Cy Young vote and second in the Rookie of the Year vote behind Pete Alonso of the New York Mets. He finished 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA, complied with 142 strikeouts, and only walked 41 batters.
Entering play on August 3, 2020, Soroka made two starts and was 1-1 with a 1.59 ERA. In the game against the Mets in which he tore his Achilles, he was having a rough third inning, had given up three runs, and only got one out before the injury occurred.
Snitker said about Soroka, “We feel like he’s in a good place, and it’s the right time.”
Soroka was supposed to pitch on Sunday for Triple-A Gwinnett when the Braves decided to have him start for the big club in Oakland on Monday instead.
Mastroianni said about Soroka’s return, “It’s just gonna be so great to see him come back on a big league mound after what he’s gone through.” He added that some people don’t return from two Achilles surgeries. Many people thought Soroka wouldn’t come back from this, and it’s possible he might not return to the form he had in 2019, but just having him back is a big boost for the rotation and, more importantly, the team.
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