Braves: Fingers crossed, Mike Soroka taking major step towards his return

There is now an exact start date for Atlanta Braves pitcher Mike Sorokoa’s rehab assignment.

The Atlanta Braves have been without Mike Soroka in their starting rotation for the better part of two years after he ruptured his Achilles tendon in back-to-back years. There is now a positive set of news that Braves fans will definitely enjoy hearing regarding the status of Soroka.

Soroka is set to begin his rehab assignment on Tuesday, Aug. 16 with High-A Rome. The news comes courtesy of David O’Brien of The Athletic.

Braves: Mike Soroka set to begin rehab assignment

This is certainly welcome news for both Soroka and the Braves, as the right-hander and 2019 NL Rookie of the Year runner-up has had terrible injury luck.

Back in the 2020 truncated season, Soroka left a start against the New York Mets after covering first base. It was revealed that he had ruptured his right Achilles tendon. As he was nearing a return in the middle of the 2021 campaign, Soroka re-injured that Achilles tendon when walking to the team’s clubhouse. Then, his recovery timeline took a hit this summer, when he was hit in the knee by a comebacker in July.

To say that Soroka has had bad luck is an understatement.

While Soroka beginning his rehab assignment is a positive sign, it is still unknown whether he will be able to make a return this season. The Braves are in good shape, as they are 5.5 games back of the New York Mets for first place in the NL East and have a six-game lead for the first NL Wild Card spot as of this writing (Aug. 15).

Braves fans, be sure to keep an eye on the Rome Braves game against the Greensboro Grasshoppers.