Alright, let’s talk about the whole Mike Soroka contract situation. It’s been a ride, lemme tell ya.
So, back when Soroka was looking like the next big thing, right? The Braves were smart and locked him up. I remember thinking, “This is genius! We got our ace for years to come!” The deal was a four-year, $19.795 million contract extension. Seemed like a steal at the time.
Then came the Achilles tear. Ugh. Brutal. I remember watching it happen and just feeling sick. That injury, man, it changed everything. He tried to come back, rehabbed like crazy, but just wasn’t the same. It’s a real shame to see a promising career derailed like that.
Fast forward to after the 2022 season. The Braves, understandably, non-tendered him. It was a tough decision, I’m sure, but they had to protect themselves. He just hadn’t shown enough to warrant keeping him at his salary, especially with all the other young arms they had coming up. I remember feeling bummed out, but it made sense from a business point of view.
He ended up signing with the Detroit Tigers for 2024. I saw it as a good opportunity for him. A fresh start in a new environment. He needed a place where there wasn’t so much pressure. I really wanted him to get back on track in Detroit, for real.
How did it work out? Not great. He got rocked. ERA was high. Walks were up. Velocity was down. It was just…sad. He ended up getting DFA’d (Designated For Assignment) by the Tigers in June. Basically, they removed him from their 40-man roster. It was a tough break.
It just shows you how unpredictable baseball can be. One minute you’re on top of the world, the next you’re fighting to stay in the league. I still root for the guy, you know? I hope he figures it out and gets another shot somewhere. He’s got the talent. Hopefully he can find the health and confidence to put it all together.
Key takeaways for me from this whole saga:
- Injuries are a total game-changer. You can have all the potential in the world, but if you can’t stay healthy, it doesn’t matter.
- Contracts are about risk management. Teams have to make tough decisions, even if it means parting ways with guys you like.
- Never give up on a comeback story. I’m still hoping Soroka can turn things around. You never know what might happen.
That’s my take on the whole Mike Soroka contract situation. What do you guys think? Let me know in the comments!
