Michael Soroka Bio
Michael John Graydon Soroka is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Washington Nationals, and Chicago Cubs. Soroka made his MLB debut in 2018 with the Braves, was an MLB All-Star in 2019, and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year Award voting.
Early Life and Background
Michael John Graydon Soroka was born on August 4, 1997, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is the son of Gary, a former university and junior hockey player, and Sally Soroka, and he has two half-sisters. Soroka’s mother died in 2010 of melanoma when he was 12 years old.
He attended Bishop Carroll High School in Calgary, where he was a goalie in youth hockey before deciding to focus on baseball. Soroka pitched for the Canadian junior national team, where he was coached by fellow Canadian pitcher Chris Reitsma, who also served as his mentor. By his senior year, he had committed to play college baseball at the University of California, Berkeley on scholarship, and he was ranked 88th in Baseball America’s annual prospect rankings prior to the 2015 draft. Before 2023, Soroka was commonly known as Mike Soroka, after which he asked to be referred to as Michael.
Path to Major League Baseball
Soroka was selected 28th overall in the 2015 MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves. He reported to the Gulf Coast League Braves and posted a 1.80 ERA in ten innings before being reassigned to the Danville Braves, where he went 0–2 with a 3.75 ERA in six starts to finish the season. In 2016, he advanced to the Rome Braves, where he posted a 9–9 record with a 3.02 ERA.
Soroka spent the 2017 season with the Mississippi Braves, going 11–8 with a 2.75 ERA in 153 and two-thirds innings and appearing in the All-Star Futures Game as one of the youngest players in Double-A. He began 2018 with the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers, posting a 1.99 ERA and 0.97 WHIP before earning his promotion to the major leagues on May 1, 2018.
Michael Soroka Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
Soroka debuted with the Braves on May 1, 2018, against the New York Mets, pitching six innings, allowing one run, and recording five strikeouts. Shoulder inflammation cut his debut season short, and he finished the year with five starts, a 2–1 record, a 3.51 ERA, and 21 strikeouts in 25 and two-thirds innings. In 2019, he returned healthy and became the youngest pitcher in the National League on Opening Day, posting 29 starts with a 13–4 record, a 2.68 ERA, and 142 strikeouts in 174 and two-thirds innings while earning All-Star honors and a selection to the All-MLB Second Team.
Atlanta Braves Era (2020–2023)
Soroka opened the shortened 2020 season for the Braves on July 24, 2020, pitching six scoreless innings against the Mets and becoming the youngest Opening Day starting pitcher in the team’s modern history at 22 years and 354 days old. On August 3, 2020, he tore his right Achilles tendon on his 48th pitch against the Mets, prematurely ending his season. He went on to suffer a complete re-tear of the same Achilles in June 2021 and missed significant time before returning to the major leagues on May 29, 2023, exactly 1,030 days after his previous MLB start.
On June 30, 2023, Soroka earned his first win since September 19, 2019, giving up five hits with seven strikeouts across six innings against the Miami Marlins. Right forearm inflammation ended his 2023 season in September. On November 16, 2023, the Braves traded Soroka to the Chicago White Sox, along with Jared Shuster, Nicky Lopez, Braden Shewmake, and Riley Gowens, in exchange for Aaron Bummer.
Chicago White Sox Era (2024)
Soroka was moved to a bullpen role with the White Sox on May 14, 2024, after the team parted ways with Brad Keller. In 25 total appearances, he compiled an 0–10 record with a 4.74 ERA and 84 strikeouts across 79 and two-thirds innings. His 0–10 mark ranked as the fourth-worst no-win season in the modern era since 1900 and the most losses by a pitcher without a single win since Terry Felton of the 1982 Minnesota Twins went 0–13.
Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs Era (2025)
On December 19, 2024, Soroka signed a one-year, $9 million contract with the Washington Nationals. He made 16 starts for Washington in 2025, going 3–8 with a 4.87 ERA and 87 strikeouts across 81 and one-third innings. On July 30, 2025, the Nationals traded Soroka to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Christian Franklin and Ronny Cruz, and he posted a 1.08 ERA with eight strikeouts in eight and one-third innings across six appearances for Chicago.
Arizona Diamondbacks Era (2026–Present)
On December 12, 2025, Soroka signed a one-year, $7.5 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. On March 30, 2026, in his first Diamondbacks start against the Detroit Tigers, he threw the 120th immaculate inning in MLB history.
Notable Events and Milestones
Soroka’s career has been defined by both breakthrough moments and adversity, including his 2019 All-Star selection, his record-setting 2020 Opening Day start, two Achilles tears, and his 2026 immaculate inning with the Diamondbacks. He is among the youngest pitchers in modern Braves history to reach each major milestone, and he appeared in the 2021 World Series championship run as a member of the Braves’ organization.
Michael Soroka Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Michael Soroka was born to Gary, a former university and junior hockey player, and Sally Soroka, and he has two half-sisters. His mother, Sally, died of melanoma in 2010 when Michael was 12 years old. Soroka has been open about the impact of her passing on his upbringing and career motivation.
2025 Season Performance
In 2025, Soroka split the year between the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs, opening the year on a one-year, $9 million deal in Washington. He made 16 starts for the Nationals and posted a 3–8 record with a 4.87 ERA and 87 strikeouts across 81 and one-third innings before being dealt to the Cubs at the trade deadline on July 30, 2025. With Chicago, he delivered a strong relief showing, recording a 1.08 ERA with eight strikeouts in eight and one-third innings across six appearances.
Following the 2025 season, Soroka entered free agency and signed a one-year, $7.5 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks on December 12, 2025, setting up a fresh start in the National League West. His career outlook entering 2026 centers on staying healthy, building on the immaculate inning he threw in his Diamondbacks debut, and establishing himself as a reliable arm in Arizona’s rotation.
