A former White Sox pitcher has found a new home.
As first reported by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, right-hander Mike Soroka and the Washington Nationals have agreed to a deal. The one-year major-league contract is said to be worth $9 million.
Soroka, 27, was acquired by the White Sox last offseason as part of the trade that sent Aaron Bummer to the Braves. During the 2024 campaign, Soroka posted a 4.74 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 79.2 innings pitched across 25 games. He opened the season in Chicago’s rotation and struggled across his nine starts before moving to the bullpen in mid-May. As a reliever, Soroka flourished with a .189 opponents’ batting average, 15 K/9, and a 2.75 ERA in 16 relief appearances.
Despite his recent success out of the bullpen, early reports out of Washington indicate the Nationals plan for Soroka to serve in their starting rotation. As an All-Star for the Braves in 2019, Soroka put together his best season with a 2.68 ERA in 29 starts to finish second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. Though he hasn’t been able to replicate that performance, Soroka still owned a 3.32 ERA in 44 games (43 starts) as a member of the Braves’ staff from 2018 to 2023. His lengthy injury history eventually raised questions about his future but there is much more promise now after his impressive 2024 transformation.
The Nationals are pushing all of their chips in as they hope Soroka’s increase in velocity and other improved metrics translate back to the rotation. If so, Soroka will be a valuable addition to their rotation and at worst, an intriguing option out of the bullpen.
For an in-depth look at Soroka’s turnaround in 2024, read this article by MLB.com’s Mike Petriello.
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