Michael Soroka is recovering from his shoulder injury and is set to rejoin the Chicago Cubs roster soon for his next outing.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Michael Soroka is making significant progress in his recovery from a shoulder injury and is expected to rejoin the major league roster soon, manager Craig Counsell announced Friday.

Return Timeline

Soroka’s return comes after a promising rehab appearance Thursday night for Triple-A Iowa against the Indianapolis Indians. The right-hander pitched a perfect fifth inning with his fastball reaching 96 mph and his breaking ball looking sharp, according to Iowa broadcaster Jason Kempf.

“He’ll be activated with us for his next outing,” Counsell said, though he noted the team is still determining the specific date. “We’ll see on the date right now.”

Velocity Concerns Addressed

The improved velocity represents a significant development for Soroka, whose declining fastball speed had raised concerns before his trade to Chicago. While averaging upwards of 94 mph with Washington in the first half of the season, his velocity had dropped to the 90-92 mph range by July, prompting injury speculation.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer acknowledged the organization was aware of Soroka’s velocity trends when they acquired him from the Washington Nationals on July 30 for prospects Christian Franklin and Ronny Cruz.

Brief Cubs Debut

Soroka’s Cubs tenure got off to an unfortunate start when he exited his debut against Cincinnati on August 4 after just two innings due to shoulder discomfort. He was placed on the 15-day injured list the following day with what Counsell described as a “low-to-mid-grade” strain.

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The timing was particularly disappointing as the Cubs had acquired Soroka specifically to bolster their starting rotation for the playoff push.

Likely Bullpen Role

Upon his return, Soroka will likely pitch out of the bullpen rather than rejoin the starting rotation. The returns of Jameson Taillon and Javier Assad from their respective injuries have solidified the Cubs’ rotation, with Taillon joining Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, Colin Rea, and rookie Cade Horton as starters.

This role change may actually suit Soroka better based on his recent track record. After struggling as a starter with the White Sox last season (6.39 ERA in nine starts), he excelled in relief work, posting a 2.75 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 36 innings out of the bullpen.

Career Context

The 28-year-old Canadian was a first-round pick by Atlanta in 2015 and had a breakout 2019 season with the Braves, finishing second in NL Rookie of the Year voting and sixth in Cy Young voting with a 13-4 record and 2.68 ERA.

However, Achilles tendon surgery cost him the entire 2021 and 2022 seasons. After struggling in limited 2023 action with Atlanta, he was traded to the White Sox and later signed with Washington as a free agent.

Postseason Implications

Soroka’s return provides the Cubs with additional depth as they battle for a wild-card spot in the competitive National League playoff race. His experience and potential effectiveness in a relief role could prove valuable during the final weeks of the regular season and potentially into October.

The Cubs are scheduled to face Tampa Bay this weekend before a road series against Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, with Soroka likely to make his return during one of those upcoming series.

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