Michael Soroka hasn't been Atlanta's preferred choice to be the 5th starter for the Braves rotation in recent weeks, but he's not moping about it in AAA Gwinnett.
He's making his case on the field.
The 26 year-old, who missed almost three years to multiple Achilles tears, was dominant in AAA Gwinnett last night, with a complete game shutout of the Charlotte Knights.
The Knights, affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, had no answers for "Maple Maddux" as he went all seven scheduled innings with only three hits allowed, walking one and striking out eight. He gave up one extra base hit, a 3rd inning double, and otherwise stranded four batters, three in scoring position (where the Knights went 0-5).
Soroka used the entire arsenal against the Charlotte, throwing all four of his pitches at least 20% of the time and getting a AAA-leading 15 swings and misses from Knights hitters, with a 28% CSW.
Atlanta's now looking at multiple options to take starts at the major league level between Allan Winans and Soroka, who is 2-1 with a 5.52 ERA in six MLB appearances this season (five starts). Soroka also recently pitched in relief at the MLB level, a sign that the Braves may be considering him for starts later in the season and then putting him on the postseason roster in the bullpen.
It's not a guarantee, though - Dylan Lee's rehab stint in Gwinnett has been extended as Atlanta stretches him to cover multiple innings at the MLB level, so there's competition for that long relief role in the pen for the postseason.
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