Cubs’ Craig Counsell announces great Michael Soroka news originally appeared on The Sporting News

The Chicago Cubs didn’t make any large splashes at the MLB trade deadline like some of the other top contenders did, but they did make a couple of smaller moves to bolster the team.

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One of those moves was the acquisition of former Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves pitcher Michael Soroka. He’s made just one appearance in a Cubs uniform and allowed one run in two innings of work before hitting the injured list.

But after a month on the injured list, Craig Counsell finally announced some good news for Soroka. Jay Cohen of The Associated Press shared Counsell’s announcement that Soroka is slated to make his next start in the Majors, with a date TBD.

Michael Soroka is expected to make his next start in the Major Leagues

“He’ll be activated with us for his next outing,” Counsell said. “We’ll see on the date right now.”

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Soroka is coming off a 2.1 inning in Triple-A on Thursday, and saw his fastball velocity up a tick from before his injury, a good sign that he’s ready to return to the Majors.

But, as Counsell alludes to, the team is still unsure of when Soroka will be recalled from Triple-A. Regardless of the specific date, the fact that the 28-year-old is ready to pitch in the Majors again is a great sign for the Cubs and Soroka.

He was acquired from the Nationals at the trade deadline for two minor leaguers: Ronny Cruz and Christian Franklin. He made just one start before hitting the injured list with a shoulder issue, and has been out since the beginning of August.

MORE: Cubs’ legend shares insights on Pete Crow-Armstrong’s performance and potential

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Over a month later, Soroka is finally slated to return to the Cubs rotation to help the team clinch a postseason spot amid a tight race for the wild card spots.

Before coming to the Cubs, in 16 starts for the Nationals, Soroka had a 4.87 ERA and a 3-8 record with 87 strikeouts and 24 walks in 81.1 innings pitched with an 85 ERA+.

The Cubs play three games against the Tampa Bay Rays over the weekend before heading out to Pittsburgh and Cincinnati to face the Pirates and the Reds. Soroka will likely make his return to the rotation during one of those series.

While his specific return date is unknown, Soroka’s return is imminent, and it is great news for the Cubs as they gear up for a postseason push.

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