Braves’ latest rotation move suggests second Michael Soroka return

The Atlanta Braves sending AJ Smith-Shawver back down to Triple-A Gwinnett suggests Michael Soroka will be returning to the starting rotation once again.

With Atlanta Braves rookie right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver being optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett after Sunday’s thrilling series conclusion vs. the Cincinnati Reds, it indicates a second Michael Soroka return is on the horizon, possibly coming on Wednesday.

Atlanta may have the best record in the National League, but the Braves’ fourth and fifth spots in their starting rotation have been very much up for grabs since Max Fried and Kyle Wright went on the IL. While Bryce Elder, Charlie Morton and Spencer Strider have remained mainstays, it has been kind of an every other start proposition for the Braves in the back-end of their rotation now.

Although right-hander Dereck Rodriguez was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett, this latest transaction made by the Braves’ front office should make things very easy for Soroka to return.

Though some fans in Braves Country wanted Jared Shuster to be sent down, Smith-Shawver’s latest start vs. the red-hot Reds at Great American Ball Park was concerning to say the least. While Fried and Wright should return at some point, getting any sort of long-term production out of the No. 4 starter spot would be massive for the Braves’ chances of earning that No. 1 seed.

Let’s discuss why it will probably be Soroka reclaiming a spot in the rotation over Smith-Shawver.

Atlanta Braves option AJ Smith-Shawver, paving way for Michael Soroka’s return

Even though Smith-Shawver’s first career road start was at the newfound wagon that is the Reds, he got cooked in the hot summer sun, alright. He went 3.1 innings on seven days’ rest, giving up five earned runs and three home runs. Atlanta would snap its eight-game winning strike in a narrow 11-10 defeat to the Reds on Friday night. The Braves would go on to win this road series.

To be fair, this was not a winnable situation for Smith-Shawver to be put in. His two previous starts were against NL bottom-feeders in Colorado and Washington. The Reds are a different animal. As for how Soroka has pitched since being demoted to Triple-A, he has gone at least six innings, allowing no more than one earned run in each of his last three starts for the Stripers.

I don’t know if injuries have transformed Soroka into a Quad-A pitcher, but he’s clearly too good to stay in Gwinnett for all that much longer. My thought is his big-league experience and current domination of Triple-A hitting is exactly what the Braves need right now in the back-end of the rotation entering a tough stretch of games right before the All-Star break. This needs to happen.

Atlanta’s next four opponents are home vs. the Minnesota Twins for three, home vs. the Miami Marlins for three, at the Cleveland Guardians for three and at the Tampa Bay Rays for three. Minnesota and Tampa Bay are division leaders, Miami is a Wild Card team and Cleveland is only two games back of the Twins in whatever we want to define the toothless AL Central division as.

Ultimately, Atlanta needs somebody outside of Elder, Morton and Strider to step up in the rotation between now and the All-Star break. Shuster keeps getting the benefit of the doubt, despite really struggling to strike batters out. Smith-Shawver offers a ton of promise, but great competition has brought out the worst in him. It is why Soroka must answer the bell and be thrust back into action.

If Soroka pitches up to his lofty standard, then Atlanta could be something special down the line.