May 13, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Michael Soroka (34) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Nationals Starter Shows Promising Upside Against Former Team Despite Early Exit

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Jacob Moss | Last updated May 14, 2025 11:00 AM ET

Washington Nationals starter Michael Soroka took the mound for his second start back from the IL on Tuesday night, and he did so against his former team in the Atlanta Braves.

Originally a first-round draft selection of the Braves, Soroka was at one point considered to be the future ace in Atlanta before injuries threw a wrench in what was shaping up to be a promising career.

Now a member of the Nationals, Soroka has been trying to work his way back into form after an early stint on the IL to start the 2025 season. After struggling in his first start back from the IL last week against the Cleveland Guardians, he came out on Tuesday looking much better in his former ballpark.

While he only managed to get through four innings before manager Davey Martinez decided to sit him, Soroka gave Washington plenty to be enthusiastic about in that small sample. The righty showcased a revamped fastball that touched upwards of 97 mph, alongside an absolutely devastating changeup that ran up to 85 on the radar gun.

Michael Soroka, Nasty 85mph Changeup. pic.twitter.com/FZZnTqCFcd
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 13, 2025

Soroka looked absolutely dominant through the first three innings against his former team, striking our three batters and allowing just two hits. He did run into a bit of trouble in the fourth, giving up a game tying two-run homer to Braves' catcher Drake Baldwin.

That being said, he regrouped masterfully after the slip up, and was able to navigate the rest of the inning with the tie still in tact. Sitting at 86 pitches heading into the fifth though, Martinez decided to turn to the pen to finish out the rest of the game.

Early exit aside, Soroka's start was everything the Nationals were looking for. The stuff was clearly there early on, and he didn't panic after giving up the lead in the fourth.

The endurance shouldn't be to much of a concern at this point, as that will start to come along in the coming weeks as he continues to build his strength over his next several starts.

This was the ideal second start back from the IL for Soroka. Now, he'll look to continue building upon it moving forward in order to carve out a permanent role in what's been a rather disappointing rotation in DC.

The opportunity for a career resurgence is right there for the taking. It will be all up to Soroka whether or not he seizes upon it.

This article first appeared on Washington Nationals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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