1:10 pm: Despite Snitker’s assertion that Soroka is “down for the year,” the Braves haven’t yet officially ruled out Soroka this season, O’Brien hears. He’ll be reevaluated in two weeks to define a potential timetable for his recovery.
12:46 pm: Braves manager Brian Snitker confirmed this afternoon during an interview on the MLB Network that right-hander Mike Soroka is out for the remainder of the season (h/t to David O’Brien of the Athletic). Soroka underwent exploratory surgery on his right Achilles a couple weeks ago.
It’ll go down as a completely lost season for Soroka, his second consecutive injury-wrecked year. The 23-year-old originally tore his Achilles last August, just three starts into the abbreviated campaign. While there had been hope Soroka would return to the rotation relatively early in 2021, further health woes prevented that from happening. He was shut down from his rehab process in early April due to shoulder inflammation before renewed trouble with the Achilles resulted in the aforementioned surgery.
That series of injuries has stalled a brilliant start to Soroka’s MLB career. The former top prospect held his own in his first seven MLB starts in 2018 before an All-Star 2019 effort. Soroka tossed 174 2/3 innings of 2.68 ERA/4.28 SIERA ball as a 21-year-old that year, finishing second in NL Rookie of the Year balloting and sixth in NL Cy Young award voting. He’ll now unfortunately miss nearly two full seasons of action, although he’s certainly still young enough to regain his prior form if he returns to full strength in 2022.
Soroka had already been placed on the 60-day injured list. Players on the MLB injured list accumulate service time, so he’ll be credited with a full year of service for the 2021 season. Soroka will reach arbitration eligibility for the first time this winter and is under team control through 2024.
Such a shame, better luck next year.
BRUTAL NEWS! Hate it for him! Legit player with a big future! Hate to see things like this
I thought this would be welcoming news to a braves fan after snitker laid him to pasture a couple weeks ago
Baseball is becoming like the 6 o’clock news, it’s too depressing to hear about the latest victims.
Seriously! Also, I eat my words braves fan. I thought the team update on top was an update to what snitker said a couple weeks ago when he had the heel surgery. My bad dude.
Who still watches the news?
It is a drag, @Curly.
We are not even a third through the season yet!
Every single day there is a deluge of IL updates here.
This is nothing new for a Yankee fan. Seems like we go through this every year.
Interestingly, I’m noticing a couple fan bases (at least) who seem to have turned it into some weird competition. “No! We have more injuries.”
What a whacky thing to argue over.
@Ducky Just so you know, my 4 y.o. boy who doesn’t know his own strength socked me in the face today while we were goofing around in a Target store. As he proceeded to run away, there were a few drops of water apparently on their waxed flooring which led to him slipping and sliding like Jason Giambi into homeplate as if it was the bottom of the ninth of a tie game. It was ugly but he pounced right up celebratory.
**We’ll see if my slight right eye swelling reduces in the morning or else I’ll find a way to take my revenge.** Similar logic and reasoning of these fans you’ve noted?
I am always a fan of a good analogy.
Yessir.
Something a lot like that.
Little boys, man. Mine hasn’t been 4 for awhile. But good to see the basic model remains intact. It gets easier. & then one day you can no longer beat him at one on one in the driveway.
Haha! Looking forward to that day. Boy… did Boone eff up tonight by inserting Wilson while the Yanks still had rested arms even after yesterday’s twin-billing. I’m starting to question hard.
On a serious note: don’t.
Savor these moments as they are incredibly precious yet fleeting.
You are going to blink & he will be driving (Lord help us all). Straight up & down.
I honestly don’t think Boone makes any kind of real decisions in the dugout. He is told what to do & does it. Implementing a straight yes-man at the helm is my only real beef with Cashman.
I get you. It feels like last week where I was holding him up effortlessly in the palm of my hand. He’s already become the worst back(car)seat driver. I affectionately call him “coach/teacher” and it annoys hims back. Tonight’s loss was tough where the offense also slept against no other than Detroit.
My son graduates tomorrow and turns 18 next weekend. I’m already missing every minute of when he was little. Adopted him when he was 5. But now begins a new chapter where I help him through college.
Love hearing stories like that as I was adopted at an older age (three) myself.
Yee-up.
Time, man. Mine turns 18 in November.
It’s been he & I since he was 8 months old. A few girlfriends in there too, but we’ve been constants for each other.
This place is going to seem awfully empty when he’s no longer here, man.
Sucks how time flies.
Wouldn’t have made a difference anyways. Mets would have still won the division imo.
Based on what exactly? Four straight seasons of no playoffs?
Doesn’t mean much coming from a Mets fan bro. No need to be an ass about it, no one cares about this opinion from a Mets fan. Your obviously gonna be bias.
lol
When the Mets start getting respected more I’ll stop commenting as much
They haven’t earned any respect in years…
Decades honestly… had a good run like 1 or two years in the last 34 ish years but still… they haven’t done a thing to earn any respect
I’m neither a Mets nor Braves fan, but I thought it’d be interesting to point out that the mets have gone to 2 WS this century while the Braves have gone to 0
Once Cohen was the owner. They should hsve had a clean slate and people said it’s the same old Mets when it’s not. Not having the wilpons makes a huge difference and the NL east should be worried.
Lol! Ik right!
lol — what wall in the Citi Field atrium displays “going to the WS”? I’ll look for it next time I’m there. Grandma picks up coffee mugs of all the states she’s been to — Mets make a pretty pennant.
Sure maybe, but people won’t forget that because their rivals or hate the other team. I know it’s a new team but it’s fun to annoy them of their past. As a Nats fan we were getting trolled so hard about our playoff chokes but we finally shut them up. The Mets don’t even need a WS to shut me up, I would say a NLCS trip not even a win is a success. I will be happy until the Mets win a WS lmao
No one in the NL East deserves to be feared and respected right now, outside of the Braves, and only based on what they did in recent history. 2021 has been a pit of mysery for the NL East, and yes the Mets are really injured. I get it. But they were not a great team before said injuries. Someone in this division will go on a run and earn some “respect” as you call it, but it hasn’t happened yet. I like how the Mets battled against the Rockies. I give the Mets more credit than I give my Phillies right now, but I don’t consider them a huge playoff contender right now. If they gey healthy and if things click, that’s another story.
LOL! MetsFan crying for people to respect the Mets more or he’ll keep posting. Keep going at it, Chugs. Nothing’s going to change. All you can do is waste your time. There’s dozens of trolls here. You’re just one more.
They have to do something other than spend money to get respect. Their fans with diarrhea of the mouth doesn’t do it.
The Mets lost both of those World Series though so no one cares.
LMAO… most of the disrespect the Mets get is from Mets fans!
Metsfan22 is cheering his own post on. Wow, do you look at yourself in the mirror & blow kisses to yourself? They refer to that as narcissism.
A lot of the “getting respected” seems like an invention of yours, @metsfan22.
I’ve complimented the mets plenty but it never quite seems to reach the level you would like.
But: can’t lie about this one, man.
You’ve grown on me. You are tenacious, energetic, obsessed, & ferociously loyal.
Those are all qualities I seek out in my hunting dogs. Which…yeah, is a strange compliment but – well – there you have it.
@Ducky I’m rooting for you to work your magic and pull a 180 degree (well, 165) WhyHayZee on this one.
“When the Mets start getting respected more I’ll stop commenting as much”
– @MetsFans22
Says the guy that disrespects everyone else’s team, especially in the NL East.
@tikemrout
I’m a Marlins fan and it is interesting to point out that the Marlins have a championship this century while the Mets have won 0. Heck, it’s interesting to point out that the Marlins have 2 championships since their inauguration and the Mets have 0. And finally, it is interesting to point out that the Mets have the longest championship drought among the NL East teams.
I love this game!
As a Mets fan I can’t stand him, and finally muted him
Mets would at best be a third place team in the other NL divisions
That’s probably where they’ll end up at the end of the season.
more great insight from MetsFan22.
You sir are a genius
Lmao
MetsFan22: I was going to say that you’re as DELUSIONAL as ever, but then I saw that you did state it was (imo) your opinion.
Can you actually for once bring conversation related to any post? @ metsfan22. Every time I try giving you the benefit of the doubt but every damn comment you make never has anything productive to the actual post. Cool your a crazy Mets fan, can you actually maintain a real baseball convo and one that isn’t about something you say about the Mets? Nationals have a post you bring up Mets, angels have a post your the third comment and it’s about the Mets. Twins post here’s metsfan22 bringing up convo about the Mets and has nothing to do with the twins. See the problem here? And why everyone treats you like an annoying child? Try something new dude.
I’m amazed that people haven’t realized he’s a troll yet.
I don’t think he’s a troll. At all.
He’s just kid who probably loves his baseball team a bit too much. There are certainly worse things.
Lord.
I can’t believe I’m standing up for metsfan22. A sure sign of a long day topped off by a really stupid loss.
I can understand, growing up on LI, NY I was a Milwaukee Braves/Mets fan, Ya have to be tough in NY to deal with all those Yankees fans winning all the time. I like the Mets but only after my Braves.
@James I grew up a Yankees fan during their dark ages in NYC and after the Mets’ 85 WS title took a liking to them as well as to the RS and Tigers afterwards. Even today, I have no resentment towards any team. RS included. Well, some for the Astros but they’re just the “fall guys”. Media-created “rivalaries” are fun though.
@YBC I went to the Bronx in 1967 and watched the Mets win at the old Yankee stadium, We lived in Smithtown, And seemed like a real treat to go to a real game. It seemed magical, Its a wonderful life you know. And just watching baseball makes it better.
@1984wasntamanual
@MtesFan22 certainly looks like a troll, but for us fans of NL East teams, we do often run into real life Mets fans that speak like him – not trolls. And if you’re one of the fans that watch different teams’ broadcasts, if you check out the Mets broadcast, it is filled with garbage that would create fans like @MetsFan22. In addition to their broadcast, Ron Darling was once speaking on MLB Network and, during a discussion, he mentioned his broadcast team talking about their own players (Mets) “with the usual hyperbole”. When you listen to their broadcast team, it is indeed Mets Hyperbole. When you see @MetsFan22’s posts, it’s Mets Hyperbole. Unless he’s a troll that’s dedicated to watching their broadcast regularly, I think he’s a real deal Mets fan that just grew up on the SNY/PIX BS that they’ve been spewing out for years to their fan base. Think about it….what comes from a fan that grows up listening to a broadcast like that, and in combination with writers following the team over the years like Mike Lupica, Anthony DiComo, Matt Cerrone, etc.? You get idiots like @MetsFan22 who listen to the Mets Hyperbole and take it as factual information.
That’s what is going on with him.
The way that he interjects the Mets into threads that have nothing to do with them just to get people to comment on it = troll.
I do actually watch lots of broadcasts from other teams, I don’t hate the Mets’ announcers at all.
I agree with that. But I’m pretty sure he’s a real fan. The problem is that he’s one of those loud obnoxious NYer types that we unfortunately have to deal with from time to time….especially for those of us that are fans of NL or AL East teams. And unfortunately for the respectful fans of the Mets or Yankees that get embarrassed by the behavior of these types being in their fan bases.
@MetsFans22 Clearly, you don’t have one ounce of class nor tact. If you quit approaching EVERY injury as a zero sum game, you may actually allow yourself to be less bitter and enjoy baseball more. Why is it so hard for you to allow other fans to grieve their teams’ losses?
We need another starter and another bullpen arm at the deadline. The time to win a World Series is now. We can’t keep wasting this opportunity. It’s trophy or bust.
or you know, maybe next year, where you basically have the whole crew back together?
We can’t keep saying “next year.” That’s why Atlanta only has one championship ever.
Kyle Gibson seems like either a Brave or Blue Jay…
Let the dude get off the IL before trading him and you’ll get something more than former Ranger greats: Luke Action Jackson & Travis Demeritte.
BTW its 3.
Three what? Championships? As I said, ATLANTA has only one championship ever.
@darkside. That’s of course hoping Freddie is a Brave next year. That’s completely up in the air at this point. Without his bat this isn’t the same caliber team. I think he still has 2-3 more good years but anything longer will probably be regrettable.
That’s one of the more realistic takes on Freeman that I’ve seen on here. Would you be ok with some regrettable years in order to get him for the next 2-3?
@1984. I don’t think the Braves can afford to overpay guys. This isn’t one of the mega payroll teams. While I believe Freddie is the face of the Braves I just don’t know if they can afford to pay him 30 million or more a year for the next 6-7 years. Eventually the Braves are going to have to start paying some of the cheaper guys that are good big money. Honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if Freddie just walks away from baseball altogether after this season. According to numerous sources he’s having a hard time being away from his young family. This is a guy a can see doing that.
Gotta go for it when the iron is hot. Ask the Cubs, Astros, or even Royals or Rockies how quick a contention window can shut. Thankfully three of those teams got rings. Unless you’re the Dodgers or Yankees, teams have a few years to max a window.
Time flies. Don’t look now but Acuña is in his fourth season already. Freddie is now in his 30’s and currently doesn’t have a contract for next season. Swanson is a free agent at the end of next season.
Assuming the DH comes next season, there’s two outfield spots that are currently without definitive long-term staples. Right now, we can truly only call Fried and Anderson rotation fixtures.
Now all of that seems pessimistic and it’s not meant to be. We still have some young players coming up that will join the big club permanently. But it’s just a reminder that tomorrow isn’t promised in anything, especially baseball.
Personally, both the 2019 and 2020 clubs deserved that go-for-it move that never came.
Not sure what you’ve read to indicate that Soroka’s injury will keep him out longer than this year. It’s not an arm injury – he should be back next year and is definitely a rotation fixture. I don’t know why you couldn’t call Ynoa a rotation fixture – if nothing else as a back-end piece with TOR potential. I wonder if Morton would be interested in coming back based on how this year goes — and that’s not including a spot for make-or-break: Bryse Wilson/Kyle Wright, while giving more IP to Tucker Davidson. I also wouldn’t sleep on Kyle Muller, though he looks like a long-term plan at AAA.
I’m saying we can’t assume Soroka’s health anymore now that he’s essentially missed all or most of three of the last four seasons. Sure, if he’s healthy, he’s there. But at this point, without having seen him essentially for two seasons now coming off a torn Achilles, it’s hubris to think he’s dependable.
Ynoa has promise and I think will end up a stalwart, but we need to see more before penning him into a spot for the next several seasons.
As I said, I’d expect at least one of those young arms to stick long-term and we’ll undoubtedly continue to sign or trade for veteran starters. All I was saying was that, as of today, the only two arms I will bet money are pitching in the rotation barring health for the next three or more seasons is Fried and Anderson.
Wait, isn’t this exactly what Braves’ fans said last offseason about him?
I don’t necessarily disagree with you, but the Cubs made the playoffs in 2015-2018 & 2020.
darn shame. this guy is crazy talented.
Do the Braves pick up an extra year of control now?
No
No gloating from this Mets fan – it’s tough to see such a talented arm go through another lost season. Hopefully he’s in good shape for 2022.
We all know that the ‘90s Braves underachieved but this century has showed us just how hard it is to even win one…and the 1995 team did that. That team could use some company one day. This current team has the most talented Braves core in almost 20 years. Hopefully they’ll win at least one.
You are a true fan. I can’t stand the Mets but I just recently posted about how I was disappointed Thor was going to miss the season. If you are a true fan you want to see the great players play.
UHG !!!
It’s possible the team got the best out of him already and that’s it. I mean, yeah, two years of rehab would derail anyone’s career, but they shouldn’t expect anything special from him going forward.
Maybe see if he has something next year. Not like they have much of a choice.
Soroka will be 24 next year. It is not like he is 34. There is still plenty of time to have a great career if he comes back next year healthy.
Already got the best out of him….? What the sam h? He’s not a free agent until 2025 and is paid miniscule, even once he goes to arbitration, considering he’s already had an All-Star season. Considering AA throws money at high-potential pitchers (Smyly 1/$11M; Hamels 1/$18M, Morton 1/$15M, etc.) and Soroka won’t come close to that soon considering he’s not getting the stats to stake his case means Soroka is a Brave for the next 3 seasons, at least.
Mets fan here – truly awful news. Never want to see players with high potential out like this and really wanted to see if he could repeat his success. This has been an awfully difficult year for injuries and the NL East will never be as great as it was billed with losses like Soroka, Syndergaard and the like, not to mention Harper, Alonso, Ozuna and many more spending time on the IL. No wonder no team can find the muster to go on a run. On a positive note, we are all suffering now, so at least we will have a hell of a fun race to look forward to thorough the summer. Hoping he recovers and gets back to form next year.
The kid needs to heal period. Have the mindset that he is not available for this season. Get the Achilles right and start fresh in 22. Think of the lack of mileage on his arm as a win. Trying to rush him back to pitch “Shane Greene” is a recipe for disaster.
Minor point unrelated to the main point of the article, but I believe this winter will be his second trip thru arbitration, not his first. He won his case against the Braves this past offseason.
I’d be ok with Soroka being our Ian Anderson from last year.
Yeah. It appears Snitker might have spoke to the media too soon. We shall see though.
Hope he can make it back.
Britton had achilles surgery & came back just fine. It is a long recovery though. This year might be pushing the timeline a bit hard.
Some guys are just snakebit. Hate to say it but this is the narrative for him so far. Hope he gets better luck but I doubt it. He’ll join the list of “what if’s” for the Braves.
Add this to the boneheaded decisions Snitker has made this year. I’m not sure exactly what it is about this whole franchise this season but from top to bottom everyone seems to be a bit off. Something is going on internally that’s causing some disfunction! Let’s hope they can get it together. Braves are lucky to only be 1 game out of first place as bad as they have looked so far
What exactly did they do on sorokas exploratory? Best i can find is a twitter comment attributed to a braves beat reporter where he said they just cleaned a few things up which i thought was just scar tissue. What did they find to make them think soroka is going to miss another year? Makes me wonder if he has an arm injury or something related to the sore shoulder issues he has been dealing with and they dont want to address it. Managers often get blamed for a young pitcher with arm trouble so i could see a reason to keep it quiet if he is going to be on the dl any way.
The only thing that would keep Soroka out for the rest of the year is that during his exploratory surgery, they found another sizable tear that they had to repair. If it was only clean up surgery (shaving scar tissue and some frays that could be plucking a nerve), he should be ready in 8-12 weeks at the most. Sounds like they might be holding some information back or Snitker was just mistaken…wouldn’t be the first time if that is the case!
As for this article, tough loss for the Braves. The NL East is taking a beating with injuries.
All we can due as fans of NL East fans is just watch the games, hope for the best for our own teams, and then see who’s still standing at the end of the season.
Also, we as human beings can hope that no player has a career ending injury.
Why isn’t ATL playing a doubleheader today like all the other teams that got rained out yesterday
They play 2 more series @ NYM and there’s rain in the forecast for tonight and all day tomorrow — I’m in Queens. They will be lucky to get the game in tonight and possibly tomorrow.
He tore his Achilles heel right? Besides TJS that’s probably the toughest injury a professional athlete can have.
Thnx for the info DMC