This past Saturday revealed some more grim news for the Braves, as MRIs confirmed that Mike Soroka did re-tear his Achilles on Thursday while walking to the ballpark. The typical recovery for an Achilles injury is 8-12 months, but as we’ve seen up close with Soroka, there can be complications. On top of that, re-tears generally require an even longer layoff.
Mark Bowman of MLB.com reported over the weekend that it’s likely Soroka won’t be cleared to pitch again until next July.
Soroka will undergo surgery next week. Timetable for return will be determined after procedure. But based on past re-tears, he likely won’t be cleared to pitch again until next July.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 26, 2021
Soroka has proven to be an exceptionally hard worker, and I do not doubt that he will be doing everything he can to return to the mound as quickly as possible. With that being said, the Braves don’t have a choice but to be as cautious as possible this time around. If not, they won’t just be risking his immediate future but his career as well.
Given that timeline, there’s a good chance Soroka doesn’t pitch in 2022 either. Even if he is cleared by sometime in July, he’ll have to build up strength and make several appearances in the minors before making a start in Atlanta. By that time, it will be late August or early September. Would the Braves really throw him into the fire in the middle of a playoff race? Would he even be effective that quickly? Hopefully, I’m wrong, but it seems far-fetched to expect much of anything in terms of production out of Soroka in 2022, which is gut-wrenching for me to say. Soroka is one of the best young arms in the game, a true pro’s pro, and he just can’t catch a break.
You must log in to post a comment.