Mike Soroka’s doomed 2021 has come to an end. The Braves ace had been hoping to return from a torn Achilles’ suffered last summer, but encountered a setback, requiring a second surgery earlier this month. Manager Brian Snitker confirmed the 23-year-old won’t be available to pitch this season, though if all goes well, he should be back in Atlanta’s rotation next spring.
Drafted 28th overall in 2015, the 6’5” right-hander represented Atlanta as an All-Star in 2019, producing the majors’ fifth-lowest ERA (2.68) while finishing runner-up to Pete Alonso in National League Rookie of the Year voting. Weeks after becoming the Braves’ youngest Opening Day starter in club history, the Calgary native blew out his Achilles’ in a start against the Mets, costing him the remainder of 2020. Soroka had been anticipating a midseason return, though obviously his comeback bid never got off the ground.
With Huascar Ynoa (who recently broke his hand punching a dugout wall) and Soroka gone for the foreseeable future, Atlanta will rely on Charlie Morton, Ian Anderson, Max Fried, Drew Smyly and Bryse Wilson to fill out its starting rotation. Vying for their fourth division title in as many years, offense will have to be the driving force for the Braves, who lead MLB in home runs with 80 while also ranking second to the Red Sox in team slugging percentage (.442).
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