TORONTO -- Michael Soroka¡¯s first start in nearly a year ended abruptly on Monday. But he and the Nationals were able to breathe a sigh of relief when a diagnosis showed a right biceps cramp.
¡°I think we¡¯ll be OK,¡± Soroka said. ¡°It¡¯s just kind of one of those things where it¡¯s not something you want to feel and it¡¯s not something that¡¯s worth ripping through, especially at that point in the game and this point in the season.¡±
The Calgary native was in the sixth inning of his Nationals debut at Rogers Centre when he delivered a slider to Andr¨¦s Gim¨¦nez. The pitch, his 83rd of the night, landed in the dirt and bounced at home plate.
Soroka, who has dealt with significant injuries in his career, immediately knew something wasn¡¯t right. He wasn¡¯t going to try to pitch through the discomfort. Following a mound visit, Soroka left the game with head athletic trainer Paul Lessard.
¡°You know the difference between something that¡¯s just a one-off and something that maybe needs a little more attention,¡± Soroka, 27, said. ¡°I knew that was a feeling that shouldn¡¯t be there, and I wanted to make sure that we were smart about it. As unfortunate as it is to have to leave the game and not get to compete through the sixth inning, I think it¡¯ll allow me to get back out there again in five or six days.¡±
Soroka underwent strength testing after his exit. The team will monitor how he is feeling on Wednesday.
¡°The minute you see a pitcher stand on the mound like that and we have to go out, you always try to be positive, but you always assume the worst -- especially when you¡¯re talking about their arm,¡± manager Dave Martinez said. ¡°But right now it¡¯s just a cramp, and hopefully that¡¯s all it is.¡±
Soroka has been re-establishing himself as a starting pitcher after he was moved to the White Sox bullpen last season. The Nats signed him to a one-year, $9 million deal on Dec. 19 to join their rotation.
Monday was Soroka¡¯s first regular-season start since May 12, 2024. In five-plus innings, he allowed four runs off five hits -- including a second-inning home run to Gim¨¦nez -- and one walk. He also struck out three. Soroka threw his four-seamer for 45 percent of his pitches and maxed at 95.8 mph.
¡°It wasn¡¯t obviously the best, not the way you want to start the season, but I thought I competed,¡± Soroka said. ¡°¡ They made me pay on a couple mistakes. All in all, though, I thought we commanded the breaking ball fairly well, and [we need to] just make sure we take the positives and move forward.¡±
Soroka is only the fourth player born in Canada to play on the Nationals in team history (2005-present). He joined Shawn Hill (Mississauga, Ontario), Pete Orr (Richmond Hill, Ontario) and Matt Stairs (Saint John, New Brunswick).
¡°I grew up quite a ways from Toronto, but it¡¯s still the team and the organization that I grew up watching the most,¡± Soroka said. ¡°It means a little more, it feels a little different here. ¡ It¡¯s a place that I¡¯ve always tried to bring the A-game, and maybe that¡¯s part of it. Maybe I¡¯m trying a little too hard.¡±
Monday marked his fourth career start against the Blue Jays. During his first time pitching in Toronto as a rookie with the Braves in 2018, he ¡°threw something I shouldn¡¯t have,¡± which turned into a right shoulder strain. Seven years later, Soroka implemented that lesson.
¡°That¡¯s something that you take moving forward,¡± Soroka said. ¡°... There are things you don¡¯t want to push too far, so I made sure that didn¡¯t happen today.¡±