3 burning questions for the Atlanta Braves to answer in the offseason
By Kevin Henry
Burning questions for Braves offseason: 2. Can the Braves count on Mike Soroka?
Mike Soroka hasn’t pitched for the Braves since 2020 because of Achilles injuries and elbow soreness (which shut him down in September as he was rehabbing from his latest Achilles surgery), but there is hope for him to contribute in Atlanta in 2023 after showing some promising signs before being sidelined again in September).
Atlanta’s rotation for 2023 is fairly set with Max Fried, Charlie Morton, Spencer Strider, and Kyle Wright penciled in as the top four. However, Soroka could fill the fifth spot if he can stay healthy and show signs of what he did prior to his first Achilles injury in 2020 (2.86 ERA/3.40 FIP/1.164 WHIP in 214.0 career innings over 37 starts).
If Soroka can grab the fifth spot in the rotation during spring, that’s a plus for the Braves. If he can’t (or starts the season at Triple-A to build up his pitch count), will Atlanta look outside the organization or would top prospect Kyle Muller or another young Atlanta pitching prospect be a possibility? Atlanta struck gold with Strider’s ascension from the minors last season, so don’t be surprised if the Braves look to youth again in 2023.