Mike Soroka looked the part of a front-line starter during his first couple starts in Atlanta last summer. Now, for the second time in nine months, his shoulder injury is a concern.
According to MLB’s Mark Bowman, Soroka re-injured his shoulder a month ago while lifting weights. He was able to throw a few bullpen sessions pain-free at the start of camp until the shoulder recently started bothering him again. The Braves will restrict his throwing for the next 4-5 days.
Brian Snitker did have some encouraging things to say about Soroka this afternoon, emphasizing “they don’t think it’s anything serious” with the 21-year-old’s shoulder. While there may not be anything structurally wrong with the shoulder, it’s a serious concern for a guy who was shut down last year with similar issues. Shoulder injuries are far scarier than elbow injuries in today’s game.
The injury almost assuredly ends Soroka’s bid to begin the season as the Braves’ No. 5 starter. It seems Touki Toussaint, Max Fried and Luiz Gohara will be the ones bidding for that job (plus a potential spot in the bullpen).