Braves top pitching prospect Mike Soroka was sensational in his May 1 major league debut against the Mets in New York, then looked rather ordinary in his second start Sunday against the Giants.
So what does the skilled 20-year-old have in mind as he prepares to face the Marlins on Saturday night in his third big-league start?
“We’re just kind of re-setting a little bit,” said Soroka, a 6-foot-5 Canadian whose youthful appearance belies a sense of calm and maturity beyond his years. “Got to look at what happened the last outing compared to the first one and then compared to all my outings before that in Triple-A, and just be able to kind of re-adjust and get out there and compete again.”
Soroka allowed just six hits and one run – on a Yoenis Cespedes homer – with no walks and five strikeouts in six innings against the Mets in winning his major league debut at Citi Field. But he didn’t look as sharp or self-assured on Sunday against the Giants, who got to him for seven hits, four runs and three walks with three strikeouts in four innings of a 4-3 loss.
He was asked whether that had more to do with the Giants’ approach or something he did.
“I think it was a little of both,” Soroka said. “I definitely think I lost aggressiveness, and part of that was not having seen too much patience (like Giants hitters showed) at the plate; that was a little different. Really, for the most part they were pretty competitive, and it kind of got to the point where I felt like I was trying to be a little too perfect. Kind of got out of trying to dominate. They took advantage of that.
“It’s just learning experience and making sure it doesn’t happen again.”
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