It’s a bittersweet kind of week at Truist Park. The Atlanta Braves are hosting the Washington Nationals in a four-game set — but this one’s got a little extra weight.
That’s because tonight, Michael Soroka, once the darling of the Braves’ rotation and now trying to rebuild his career with Washington, returns to the mound in Atlanta for the first time since being traded away. And yeah, for Braves fans, this is going to stir up a lot of memories.
The Rise and Fall (and Hopeful Rise Again) of Mike Soroka
Back in 2019, Soroka wasn’t just good — he was electric. At 21, he wasn’t just holding his own but dominating lineups. That All-Star nod, the near win in Rookie of the Year voting, the sixth-place Cy Young finish? All signs pointed to a future ace. He was the kind of guy you envisioned starting Game 1 of a postseason series for the next decade. Calm. Commanding. Composed beyond his years.
But then came 2020, and the cruel turn of fate that baseball so often delivers. Just three starts in, Soroka tore his Achilles tendon — a brutal injury for anyone, but especially a pitcher. And it didn’t heal the way anyone had hoped. He missed not just the rest of that season, but all of 2021 and 2022.
Every time it felt like he was close, there was another setback. If you’re a Braves fan, you remember that saga. The hope, the optimism… followed by gut punch after gut punch.
A Last Shot With Braves, New Beginning in Washington
When he finally returned in 2023, the spark wasn’t there. He made seven appearances, six starts, and posted a bloated 6.40 ERA. Then, forearm inflammation shut him down again.
That was the last we saw of Soroka in a Braves uniform. In the offseason, he was traded to the White Sox, mostly pitching out of the bullpen. But in December, the Nationals came calling — and gave him what might be his last, best shot to reclaim his old role: starting pitcher.
Through two starts in 2025, the numbers don’t paint a pretty picture — a 7.20 ERA across 10 innings. But here’s the thing: Soroka knows that if he’s going to start turning things around, there’s no better place to begin than back in the city that believed in him first.
A Standing Ovation Waiting to Happen
Don’t be surprised if the Atlanta crowd shows some love when he steps on that mound tonight. Yes, his time with the Braves didn’t end the way anyone hoped, but Braves fans remember 2019.
They remember the poise, the presence, the promise. They remember how Soroka helped carry them through one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory.
So yeah, the cheers won’t just be for the pitcher on the mound. They’ll be for the memories. For the potential that once lit up the ballpark. And maybe — just maybe — for a comeback story that’s still being written.
Because baseball doesn’t forget. And Atlanta? Atlanta remembers Mike Soroka.
