Braves’ service-time manipulation experiment has run its course

The Atlanta Braves are clearly trying to manipulate MLB service time to get one more year of control out of Michael Soroka.

Despite pitching brilliantly for the better part of the 2023 MLB season at Triple-A Gwinnett, there is a method to the madness when it comes to the Atlanta Braves‘ long-term plans with Michael Soroka.

After missing all of 2021 and 2022 recovering from a torn Achilles’, Soroka has only pitched in six games for the Braves at the big-league level this year. Although he is 2-1 on the season with a dismal 5.52 ERA, the Braves’ service-time manipulation plan is all about getting one more year of control out of their former ace. He entered 2023 with four years, 122 days of MLB service time.

It may be a tad sneaky, and borderline unethical, but that is baseball for you. Where things currently stand with Soroka, he is arbitration eligible for 2024 and will be hitting unrestricted free agency in 2025. Obviously, the Braves want to extend that as a long as possible. He last pitched for the Braves on July 21 in a 6-4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. When will he return next?

So with about roughly 20 days left before he gets five full years of MLB service, look for Soroka to be recalled to the big-league roster one last time in mid-September by the time rosters expand.

Atlanta Braves’ MLB service-time manipulation with Michael Soroka is ending

What this is all about is setting the Braves up for present and future success. At this stage of his career, the savvy veteran right-hander Charlie Morton is a year-to-year player. Although Max Fried saw his future market value be diminished with an injury-riddled 2023, he is the team’s best pitcher when he is on and will be hitting free agency soon. The same goes for Kyle Wright as well…

Although the Braves have the likes of Bryce Elder and Spencer Strider under team control for the foreseeable future, it would be such a shame if their pitching staff could not keep pace with Atlanta’s most potent lineup down the line. We have seen the type of big-game pitcher Soroka can be at times, albeit that was several years ago. It is all about extending their championship runway.

To be frank, what would you do if you were in general manager Alex Anthopoulos’ shoes? You would probably do the same exact thing. The hope would be to do right by Soroka ahead of his next one or two contracts to get him slightly more money than he would out on the open market. Anthpoulos does not overpay, but he will dole out mega deals to younger players on the come-up.

What we need to remember is Soroka is only in his mid-20s and might have plenty left in the tank.