Checking in on Michael Soroka through four starts with the White Sox

Deciding to move on from Michael Soroka had to be one of the more difficult moves of Alex Anthopoulos’ tenure as Braves general manager, but it was the right time to do so. The Braves hung on for as long as they could after all of the injuries, and without any options left, there was just about no choice. Anthopoulos couldn’t guarantee Soroka a spot in the Braves rotation, and that’s the one thing he really needs at this point, opportunities.

With the White Sox, that’s exactly what Soroka is getting early on. Chicago is one of the worst teams in baseball, and they don’t have a lot of bright spots moving forward, particularly when it comes to their pitching staff. That allowed Soroka to win a spot in the rotation after a really solid Spring Training, but he’s struggled to begin the season through four starts.

Soroka’s 2024 campaign began about as poorly as possible, as he surrendered three first-inning runs to the Detroit Tigers in his first start. However, he was able to right the ship and finish five innings while only allowing one more run. The Maple Maddux then followed it up with a quality start against an up-and-coming Royals squad, tossing six innings of two-run ball without a walk.

However, the last two starts have been a reminder that it’s going to be a long way back before Soroka is ever anything close to what he once was during the early part of his tenure with the Braves. He’s only made it through 8.1 innings, allowing nine earned runs on nine hits and nine walks.

There aren’t many encouraging signs early on for Michael Soroka. He leads MLB in earned runs allowed and has allowed 28 batters to reach base over just 19.1 total innings. To make matters worse, Soroka’s averaging just 4.7 strikeouts per nine. It’s been ugly, but this is exactly what he needs.

It was always going to be a process for Soroka, which is why sticking with the Braves organization didn’t make sense for either side. Hopefully, the White Sox are patient with him, because I do still believe there’s some greatness left in the tank. He’s 26-years-old; he just needs to stay healthy and continue to refine his craft at the major-league level.

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Photo: Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire