ATLANTA — It's been nearly three years since Michael Soroka last took the mound for the Braves. On Monday, Atlanta officially welcomed him back.
A series of injuries have upended the career of the talented right-hander, who at 21 years old was an All-Star in 2019 and looked like one of the brightest young pitching talents in the game.
He made just three starts in 2020, then missed all of 2021 and 2022.
Having began this year in the minor leagues to get his feet under him, following a stint with Gwinnett in his first action back late last year, Monday's start against the Oakland A's will be a testimony to the long and hard road back Soroka has traveled.
The recent injury history for the 25-year-old includes twice tearing his Achilles tendon - first when he went down in 2020, and then re-aggravating that injury with a second tear.
So far this season in Gwinnett, Soroka has worked 35 1/3 innings in eight starts, going 1-2 with a 4.33 ERA. He's struck out 35 and walked 11.
In a promising sign of progress, he's allowed just two earned runs in his last two starts, spanning 10 2/3 innings, after he scuffled in late April and early May.
Back in 2019, he was on course to the Braves' ace of the future - going 13-4 with a 2.89 ERA and 142 strikeouts to 41 walks in 174 2/3 innings.
Soroka's return comes at a critical time for the Braves - they could use the stabilization in their rotation, with ace Max Fried currently on the IL and Kyle Wright, a 21-game winner last year, now out long-term.
The Braves take on the A's in Oakland on Monday night starting at 8:07 p.m. ET.