Cubs Trade Deadline Acquisition Closer To Returning After Injury

Fastball velocity was a concern when the Cubs acquired Soroka from the Washington Nationals just before the trade deadline in late July. Both his four-seamer and sinker were averaging upwards of 94 miles per hour throughout the first half of the season with Washington, but had dropped to the 90-92 mph range in July, prompting concerns that Soroka was dealing with an injury.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said the club was aware of Soroka's velocity trends but felt he was still worth the risk, trading prospects Christian Franklin and Ronny Cruz for the right-hander on July 30.

Soroka made his Cubs debut five days later against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field, but exited with shoulder discomfort after just two innings. The following day, he was placed on the 15-day Injured List, with manager Craig Counsell saying he had a "low-to-mid-grade" strain.

The Cubs needed Soroka as part of their starting rotation when they traded for him, but if he returns to the big leagues this season, he will likely pitch out of the bullpen now that Jameson Taillon and Javier Assad have returned from injuries of their own.

Taillon's return from another IL stint pushed Assad to the bullpen, with Taillon joining Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, Colin Rea and rookie Cade Horton in the rotation.

Soroka is better suited for a relief role in any case. He struggled mightily as a starter with the Chicago White Sox last year, posting a 6.39 ERA in nine starts through mid-May. But after being reassigned to the bullpen, his numbers improved dramatically. In 36 innings the rest of the way, Soroka had a 2.75 ERA and struck out 60 batters while allowing just 24 hits.

A former first-round pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2015 out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Soroka had a breakout year in 2019 with Atlanta, finishing second in National League Rookie of the Year voting and sixth in the Cy Young race. He went 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA in 29 starts that year, then pitched seven innings of one-run ball in Game 3 of the NL Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

But Soroka missed all of 2021 and 2022 after undergoing Achilles tendon surgery, then struggled in limited work in 2023. The Braves traded him to the White Sox following that season, and he then signed as a free agent with the Nationals in December 2024.

The Cubs entered Friday's series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays holding on to the NL's top Wild Card spot, 5.5 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central with 16 games remaining. Chicago would host the San Diego Padres in a best-of-three Wild Card series if the season ended today.