After a mixed-bag season with the Chicago White Sox, former Atlanta Braves standout pitcher Michael Soroka hit the free agent market. While his 2024 seemed to indicate he'd have more success out of the bullpen, the Washington Nationals have other ideas.
Soroka will take his talents to Washington D.C. in hopes that he can stretch out the success he found once he was moved to the bullpen. The Nationals signed him to a one-year deal worth $9 million and plan to use him as a starter.
Free-agent pitcher Mike Soroka and the Washington Nationals are in agreement on a one-year, $9 million contract, according to a source familiar with the deal. Soroka will be a starter with the Nats. First: @Ken_Rosenthal.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) December 19, 2024
Braves News: Why Michael Soroka chose the Nationals
Putting it mildly, Braves fans' favorite Canadian was not very good out of the rotation. After spending years working his way back from devastating injury after devastating injury, he was finally on an Opening Day roster for the first time since 2020.
Unfortunately, however, in his first nine games with the White Sox, Soroka had a 6.39 ERA, walked as many batters as he struck out, and allowed 10 homers in just 43.2 innings.
Before May was even over, the worst team in MLB history had seen enough and moved him to the bullpen. He immediately broke out. In 36 innings out of the pen, he had a 2.75 ERA and his strikeout rate skyrocketed from 12.4% to 39.0%. This was one of the best K-rates among relievers in baseball last season.
Unsurprisingly, Soroka drew interest from teams as a reliever once he hit the free agent market, but he also saw teams interested in giving him another shot in the rotation. One of those teams was the Washington Nationals.
The Nationals have an inexperienced rotation going into 2024, with Jake Irvin as the oldest member of the projected rotation at 27.
While Soroka won't age up the rotation, he does come with much more experience than the other Nationals starters, having debuted in 2018. Soroka will also get a chance to prove himself as a viable starting pitcher on a young team that is still in its rebuilding years.
If all goes well for Soroka, he could easily find himself back on a contending team before the 2025 season is even over. And even if things don't go well as a starter, he's proven he has the stuff to make it work as a solid middle reliever.