The Arizona Diamondbacks and right-handed pitcher Michael Soroka have agreed to a one-year $7.5 million contract, with an additional $2 million in incentives, according to Jesse Rogers and Jeff Passan of ESPN and Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, pending a physical.
The former first-round pick by the Atlanta Braves enjoyed early success with the team, posting a 2.68 ERA in 174.2 innings as a rookie in 2019, finishing second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting to Pete Alonso, and sixth in NL Cy Young voting.
It has all gone downhill since then for Soroka.
A Downhill Slope for Soroka
Soroka was considered to be one of the next great pitchers in baseball after his impressive rookie year. Since then, he has struggled mightily to stay healthy.
From 2020 through 2023, Soroka pitched in just 10 total games due to a litany of injuries, including two Achilles tendon tears.
In fact, Soroka has only pitched in 215.1 innings since his rookie year.
In 2024 and 2025, he enjoyed the healthiest years since the injuries piled up, pitching 169.1 total innings.
However, he has struggled with inconsistency, sporting a 4.74 ERA and zero wins in 2024 with the Chicago White Sox and a 4.52 ERA in 2025 between the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs. Soroka has been used as a long-relief bullpen arm during parts of those years, only starting 26 of a possible 47 games.
His ground ball rate has always been high, and Soroka has always done well at generating weak contact, but it’s become harder and harder for Soroka to put up successful numbers due to his litany of injuries.
So the obvious question is, why would any organization give out a deal to someone who can’t stay healthy and hasn’t enjoyed success since 2019?
Soroka’s Fit in Arizona
Soroka is still just 28, bringing intrigue for Diamondbacks General Manager Mike Hazen.
Soroka figures to immediately join the Diamondbacks’ starting rotation for 2026.
Despite the guaranteed money and incentives to push it even higher in this contract, this is a low-risk, high-reward signing for Arizona.
With a low contract and plenty of upside, Soroka could be healthy and rediscover the secret to his early success.
This does not, and should not, preclude Arizona from signing another starting pitcher or two.
As of before this signing, Ryne Nelson, Eduardo Rodriguez and Brandon Pfaadt were the only starters penciled into the Diamondbacks rotation because of Corbin Burnes’ injury and Zac Gallen hitting free agency.
This could be a nice bridge signing for Arizona. When Burnes comes back from his Tommy John surgery, if Soroka is doing well, you could flip him for some much-needed prospects.
Or Arizona can move Soroka to the bullpen, where he has experience in the last two seasons.
Either way, pitching is a major weakness for this Diamondbacks team that has struggled to make the playoffs since their 2023 miracle postseason run, and they will have many more moves to add in the pitching department if they wish to compete in 2026.
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