Diamondbacks Sign Michael Soroka

According to multiple reports on X, the Arizona Diamondbacks have signed right-hander MIke Soroka to a one year contract. This was first reported by Jesse Rogers on X platform. Per Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, the terms are $7.5 million. According to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com there are performance incentives that could raise the calue to $9.5 million.

Diamondbacks sign Michael Soroka

The 28-year old Soroka has signed with a Diamondback team in desperate need of starting pitching. Soroka pitched for the Washington Nationals in 2025, and then the Chicago Cubs after a trade deadline deal on July 31.

Soroka had been a starting pitcher for the Nationals, making 16 starts and posting a 3-8 record with a 4.87 ERA. His FIP, or fielding independent pitching was markedly better at 4.16 however, and his xERA from Statcast was better still at 3.45.

The Cubs used him as a relief pitcher for five appearances, and one start. Soroko went on the injured list with a shoulder strain on August 5 after completing just two innings of his first start. He did not return until with a shoulder strain, and did not return until September 15, at which point he pitched out of the bullpen.

For this money, the Diamondbacks certainly intend to use him as a starting pitcher. Soroka burst on the scene as a rookie in 2019, going 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA, finishing sixth in the Cy Young voting and second in the Rookie of the Year balloting as well.

His career has been plagued by injury and and ineffectiveness sine then however. He made just three starts in 2020, and missed all of 2021 and 2022. While he has a career 3.85 ERA in 416 innings, that number has ballooned to 4.19 in 201 innings since 2023.

Soroka is actually throwing harder than he did pre injury however, with a fastball that averages 93.6 MPH, or roughly half a tick higher than in his sensational rookie season. In 2025 his primary breaking pitch was a "Slurve" according to Statcast, and it was a very effective pitch. Hitters batted just .118 off the pitch, and he had over a 38% WHIFF rate.

Clearly the Diamondbacks, like other teams in the league, are not looking at ERA, so much as they are referencing underlying metrics and strikeout rates to make their evaluation.

The $7.5 million contract will drive the Diamondbacks payroll up into the $150 million range. They likely have somewhere between $20-$30 million left to add to payroll in a year they are expected to reduce from their franchise record payroll of 2025.