Atlanta Braves: Mike Soroka makes another step back from injury

ATLANTA — Mike Soroka is taking another step toward potentially joining the Atlanta Braves rotation before the end of the 2022 regular season.

Here is the latest injury update on Atlanta Braves pitcher Mike Soroka

The 25-year-old Soroka tore his right Achilles tendon covering first base on a play on August 3, 2020, then tore it again in June of 2021 while walking to the clubhouse. Both instances required surgery and have kept the right-hander off the mound for more than two years.

However, Soroka has been arduously working his way back toward the Atlanta Braves after the second surgery. Part of that journey included a start with Atlanta’s High-A team and two with the Triple-A squad in Gwinnett. Soroka looked solid in his first time on the mound in his High-A debut, striking out eight and allowing one hit in four innings of work.

While Soroka sailed along in High-A, he has struggled a bit while pitching at Triple-A. In 8.0 combined innings over those two outings with Gwinnett, Soroka has surrendered 10 hits and six runs and walked four while striking out three.

On Tuesday, before the Braves opened up a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Truist Park, Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said that Soroka would be making another start for Gwinnett on Friday when the Stripers host the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins.

In Soroka’s last start with Gwinnett on August 27, Soroka threw 75 pitches, with 47 going for strikes. That’s a ramp up from the 58 pitches (39 for strikes) he totaled in an August 21 start, so it’s clear that Soroka is trending in the right direction in terms of regaining his length on the mound.

While it’s unknown if this will be the final rehab start for Soroka, it’s clear that he will need find a way to cut down on his hits per nine innings (11.3 overall in his two Triple-A starts) and walks per nine as well (4.5) in his next outing.

Mike Soroka is making another step back toward joining the Atlanta Braves, but it’s unclear if it’s the final step in what has been a very long journey for the former first-round pick over two-plus years.