When will Mike Soroka return to Braves lineup this season?

A pair of brutal injuries has kept Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Mike Soroka off the major league mound for nearly two full years as the 24-year-old righthander rehabs his way back onto the roster. He tore his right Achilles tendon covering first base in August 2020 and re-tore his Achilles walking toward the clubhouse in June 2021, when he had expected to start a minor league rehab assignment soon. Soroka recently suffered a minor setback earlier this month when a come-backer bruised his knee, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Mike Soroka injury update

The most recent update came on July 14 when Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos told The Athletic, and there is no clear timetable for when Soroka might rejoin the club. Anthopoulos said he will begin a rehab assignment “at some point.” He also mentioned how difficult it is to return from an injury like this and be immediately effective due to how long Soroka has been out.

Soroka pitched in just three games since the end of the 2019 season, but he was fantastic in that year, recording a 13-4 record with a 2.68 ERA through 29 starts at just 21 years old. He would be a fantastic addition to the rotation, but the Braves have done fine without him. Atlanta finished No. 6 in team ERA in 2021, and they stand at No. 7 in that category to this point of the regular season.