Michael Soroka

Michael Soroka

26-Year-Old PitcherSP
Atlanta Braves
60-Day IL
Injury Forearm
Est. Return 2/1/2024
2023 Fantasy Outlook
Soroka saw game action in 2022 for the first time in two years after he recovered from a pair of Achilles tears, but he made only five starts for Triple-A Gwinnett after he was activated from the IL before being shut down with elbow soreness. Soroka was a borderline ace for Atlanta in 2019 with a 2.68 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 142:41 K:BB across 174.2 innings, but the past few years have been one setback after another with injuries. Even if he stays healthy in 2023, Soroka is likely to have significant workload restrictions with only 38.2 innings pitched across the last three seasons, and Atlanta likely isn't counting on him to be a reliable rotation piece. Read Past Outlooks
RANKSFrom Preseason
#454
ADP
$Signed a one-year, $2.8 million contract with the Braves in November of 2022.
Moved to 60-day IL
PAtlanta Braves
Forearm
September 11, 2023
Atlanta transferred Soroka (forearm) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.
ANALYSIS
The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for right-hander Jackson Stephens, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Gwinnett ahead of Monday's doubleheader with the Phillies. Soroka had already been ruled out for the season with right forearm inflammation. Before being shut down, Soroka made seven appearances (six starts) for the big club this season, going 2-2 with a 6.40 ERA and 1.48 WHIP over 32.1 innings.
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Pitching Stats
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2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2023 MLB Game Log
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2022 MLB Game Log
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2021 MLB Game Log
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2020 MLB Game Log
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2019 MLB Game Log
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2018 MLB Game Log
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
77
Last 10 Games
77
Last 5 Games
75
How many pitches does Michael Soroka generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Michael Soroka generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2021
 
 
-22%
BAA vs LHP
2023
 
 
-22%
BAA vs LHP
2022
No Stats
2021
No Stats
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2021vs Left .250 79 16 5 18 5 0 5
Since 2021vs Right .321 66 13 7 18 3 0 4
2023vs Left .250 79 16 5 18 5 0 5
2023vs Right .321 66 13 7 18 3 0 4
2022vs Left 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2022vs Right 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2021vs Left 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2021vs Right 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2021
 
 
-23%
ERA on Road
2023
 
 
-23%
ERA on Road
2022
No Stats
2021
No Stats
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2021Home 7.50 1.17 12.0 1 1 0 12.0 0.8 3.8
Since 2021Away 5.75 1.67 20.1 1 1 0 5.8 4.9 1.8
2023Home 7.50 1.17 12.0 1 1 0 12.0 0.8 3.8
2023Away 5.75 1.67 20.1 1 1 0 5.8 4.9 1.8
2022Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2022Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2021Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2021Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Michael Soroka compare to other starting pitchers?
This section compares his stats with all starting pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 120 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 120 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
2.42
 
K/9
8.1
 
BB/9
3.3
 
HR/9
2.5
 
Fastball
92.9 mph
 
ERA
6.40
 
WHIP
1.48
 
BABIP
.303
 
GB/FB
1.52
 
Left On Base
70.6%
 
Exit Velocity
80.6 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
7.4%
 
Spin Rate
2390 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
21.7%
 
Swinging Strike
9.9%
 
Prospect Rankings History
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Michael Soroka See More
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39 days ago
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
Soroka was a 2019 success story, winning 13 games in the majors as a 21-year old, but he saw his 2020 season end in his third start when his Achilles' tendon tore as he bounced off the mound to field a bunt. Sadly, 13 months into his rehab, he completely tore it again doing something as simple as walking through the Atlanta clubhouse in late June. The second surgery used a graft from his hamstring for sutures, so hopefully this one will hold. That said, his best chance at pitching in 2022 is if Atlanta once again makes it deep into the postseason.
Heading into the 2020 season, the opinions on Soroka varied widely. Many admired his ability to command the strike zone with pinpoint control to make his rather average velocity play up in the eyes of the hitters. Others worried about his lack of swing-and-miss when he had to pitch in the zone and wondered if he had enough strikeouts in him to play up in shallow league formats. There were also workload concerns with his young age. Most of the questions were not answered as Soroka's season ended after his 199th pitch of the season when he tore his Achilles' tendon attempting to complete a fielding play. Prior to that unfortunate incident, the command was not the same and the fears concerning the lack of swing-and-miss were looking justified. Reports have him ready to resume pitching on time in 2021, and it is up to Soroka to prove his doubters wrong and show there is more to pitching than velocity.
A shoulder issue kept Soroka from breaking camp with the big club and mostly killed the sleeper buzz he had been generating last spring, but that only made him a major bargain for those that nabbed him at a reduced price. After proving his health with a couple starts at Triple-A, Soroka joined the Atlanta rotation in mid-April and established himself as the majors' best rookie pitcher. The 22-year-old erased any durability concerns by making 29 starts, and he showed no signs of wearing down either, delivering a 2.95 ERA and 1.17 WHIP after the All-Star break while keeping his K-BB% in line with his first-half rate. More of a command/control specialist than a power pitcher, Soroka lacks the strikeout upside of the game's elite arms, but his ability to limit walks and generate weak contact gives him a high floor in the ratio categories. He's a worthy No. 2 or 3 starter for any fantasy pitching staff.
Soroka was called up at 20 years old to make his big-league debut May 1 after just four starts at Triple-A, but a season that should have served as his coming out party was largely marred by shoulder issues. He landed on the DL in mid May with a strain and came back to make two big-league starts in mid June before getting shut down for the season with rotator cuff inflammation. There were reportedly no tears or structural damage, but it is concerning that he missed more than three months, with his manager saying in late August that Soroka pitching in the instructional league would be a "best-case" scenario. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound righty had proven extremely durable prior to 2018, and has No. 2 starter upside, offering potentially stellar ratios. Still the Braves' best pitching prospect, Soroka could break camp in the big-league rotation if he impresses in spring training, but if he is a little rusty, they won't hesitate to send him back to Triple-A.
It is typically unwise to target pitching prospects with the "high floor" tag, but Soroka might be the exception. It is rare for a teenage starter to skip High-A and go straight from Low-A to Double-A, but he made it look easy. The 6-foot-5 righty finished second in the Southern League in ERA (2.75) and sixth in K-BB% (14.5 percent). He might be the best pitcher in the minors at changing hitters' eye levels with his low-90s fastball, which helps it play up as a plus offering. His slider isn't a traditional wipeout pitch, but he can manipulate the speed and shape to keep hitters off balance. Soroka's changeup is his clear third pitch, and he will need to continue to refine the offering in order to neutralize lefties. He has had success pounding the zone, boasting a career 1.9 BB/9 and 2.91 ERA. His pitchability is extremely advanced for his age -- so advanced that he could find success in the Braves' rotation this year before he turns 21 in early August.
Soroka finally allowed a home run in his second pro season. In fact, he allowed three, leaving him with a career rate of one home run per 59 innings. He also has a career 1.13 WHIP after completing a full season in the Sally League, logging 110.2 of his 143 innings before his 19th birthday. The ability to command three pitches while demonstrating advanced pitchability is a rare skill set for anyone in their first year in a full-season league. It is especially rare when it is a pitcher who stands 6-foot-4 with plus stuff who is showing that kind of advanced feel. Soroka was almost four years younger than the average hitter he faced in 2016 -- a trend that will continue as he moves up the ranks, beginning in 2017 in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League. He can't quite mirror the upside of Kolby Allard, who, like Soroka, was popped by the Braves in the first round of the 2015 draft, but few pitchers in the lower levels can match Soroka's floor as a future No. 3/4 starter.
More Fantasy News
Won't need surgery
PAtlanta Braves
Forearm
September 8, 2023
Soroka (forearm) won't require surgery after testing revealed only inflammation in his forearm, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Won't return in 2023
PAtlanta Braves
Forearm
September 6, 2023
Soroka (forearm) will be shut down for the remainder of the season, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
ANALYSIS
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Lands on IL with forearm injury
PAtlanta Braves
Forearm
September 6, 2023
Soroka was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with right forearm inflammation.
ANALYSIS
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Headed for injured list
PAtlanta Braves
Finger
September 5, 2023
Soroka will be placed on the 15-day injured list after experiencing numbness in his fingers Tuesday, Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
ANALYSIS
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Recalled to start Tuesday
PAtlanta Braves
September 5, 2023
Soroka was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday.
ANALYSIS
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