Top Braves pitching prospect Mike Soroka will make an injury-rehabilitation start Friday for low Single-A Rome and could be ready to rejoin the big-league rotation soon after.
Manager Brian Snitker said the Braves won’t decide until after Friday whether Soroka would make a second rehab start or be activated from the disabled list next week.
Soroka, 20, the youngest pitcher in the majors, was placed on the 10-day disabled list May 17 (retroactive to May 14) with a right shoulder strain. The move was characterized as more precautionary than anything else, since an MRI and other tests showed nothing wrong structurally.
The Braves didn’t want their prized prospect making a start while wondering whether the soreness – which he said he’d never felt before – was something he should be concerned about.
Soroka had felt some slight tightness near the back of his shoulder after a start in Miami and told the Braves about it a few days later when it lingered. He didn’t think it was serious, but wanted them to know about it.
After a short rest period, the 6-foor-4 Canadian resumed his throwing program and has reported no recurrence of the soreness during bullpen side sessions.
“(His recovery) has been real good.” Snitker said. “Ever since he started playing catch he was fine. Like I say, it was more precaution. I would venture to say down the road when he feels that (type of soreness) the next time, it won’t be that big a deal to him and he’ll just keep pitching.”
Soroka is 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA in his first three major league starts, with 15 strikeouts and four walks in 14-2/3 innings. Four of the six earned runs he’s allowed came in his second start against the Giants, and Soroka gave up just one earned run in each of his other starts, in six innings against the Mets and 4-2/3 inning against the Marlins.
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