Cubs Trade Grade For Nationals Starter Michael Soroka Revealed

With a massive need to upgrade the rotation, the Cubs elected to pull off a trade with another NL team to acquire a pitcher with some upside.

Andy McCullough of The Athletic (subscription required) recently gave the Cubs a solid grade of a ‘B-‘ for their acquisition of Michael Soroka from the Washington Nationals. He wrote the addition provides depth and versatility, providing upside for team, but the Cub's still need someone of a higher caliber.

Soroka by the numbers

When looking at the overall numbers for Soroka, they aren’t overly impressive. So far, he has totaled a 3-8 record and 4.87 ERA. However, the right-hander has been much better of late, and that is likely what got Chicago interested.

In seven of his last eight starts, he has allowed three earned runs or fewer, showing a significant improvement.

The talent has been there in the past for Soroka, who was an All-Star previously with the Atlanta Braves. However, injuries have derailed what looked like a promising young career, and it has taken him time to get back.

While Soroka has some upside for Chicago, the price to acquire him wasn’t cheap. The Cubs had to part with two top 15 prospects to bring in the former All-Star. The Nationals received Ronny Cruz and Christian Franklin, making it a nice deal for them.

Even though Soroka fills a need, he isn’t quite the impact move that the team likely still needs in the rotation. With a plethora of talented teams in the NL, the Cubs' starting rotation is still lacking a bit compared to other contenders.

Adding Soroka is a step in the right direction, but it shouldn’t be the only move.

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