Braves starter Mike Soroka suffered another setback in his comeback attempt. The 23-year-old righty experienced discomfort in his Achilles, which he tore in August, triggering a lengthy rehab process, and will require exploratory surgery next week in Wisconsin.
Soroka’s return already was delayed by shoulder discomfort last month. The earliest he could’ve conceivably returned was sometime in June. Now, while the Braves haven’t officially ruled him out until after his surgery, the odds are against him helping the club this season.
Friend and fellow starter Max Fried has hated seeing Soroka deal with such adversity, but he believes the All-Star will get past it.
“You look at the guy, and you see how hard he works,” said Fried, who has looked much improved in his two starts after returning from a hamstring injury. “All offseason, spring training you see it every single day. You even see it in here when we come in. So he’s working tirelessly, and you know he’s doing everything. So to hear that, it’s unfortunate. But I know whatever comes his way, he’s going to be able to take it on and overcome it.”
Coaches and teammates laud Soroka’s maturity and mental makeup. He’s certainly needed to be strong in his young career, dealing with numerous ailments that have cut into his time in the majors. This is the latest challenge put on his plate.
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