The Chicago Cubs have placed right-handed starting pitcher Michael Soroka on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder strain. The team is shutting down the pitcher for 7-10 days and right now the best-case scenario is that Soroka will be able to return early in September and hopefully be effective for a handful of starts. Not exactly what the Cubs were looking for from the only trade deadline addition to upgrade the starting rotation.
Yet, this is exactly what the Cubs should have been prepared for and should have been more aggressive pursing other pitchers because there were plenty of warning signs that something was going to go wrong with Soroka. Everyone knew that the pitcher's velocity was declining and Hoyer admitted that while that was a consideration the team was still willing to gamble on Soroka.
So far, it's an awful bet for Hoyer and the Cubs. Soroka pitched two innings against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night and for whatever reason the front office thought that the guy who hasn't pitched a full season since 2019, and has had arm/shoulder issues in each of the past two years, would be enough to help down the stretch.
ESPN's Jesse Rogers had more on Tuesday.
Via ESPN.
"We knew the velocity was trending down," Jed Hoyer, president of baseball operations, said Tuesday afternoon. "We talked through that extensively. Given the market, given the asking price ... we felt like it was a good bet to make. Right now, it's not looking like a good bet."
"That risk profile was known," Hoyer said of Soroka's dip in velocity before the trade. "We spent a lot of time on that. ... We did a lot of due diligence, a ton of research, and if it doesn't work out, it's on me."
That's the thing, though, no shit it's on you, Jed, but what are the actual consequences? He already signed his multi-year extension to remain the president of baseball operations leading up to the trade deadline. No one believes that ownership is going to give Hoyer the ax if the team continues to spiral out of the postseason.
So yeah, it is on Hoyer...now what? The Cubs are stuck with him and while I've defended a lot of his moves, this trade deadline feels like a defining moment for him. A complete travesty. Awful decision making from the front office. Bad process.
As a reminder, here's Soroka's injury history.
2018: 5 starts, 25.2 IP; two separate trips to IL because of shoulder inflammation
2019: 29 starts, 174.2 IP; season debut delayed until April 18 because of a trapezius strain
2020: 3 starts, 13.2 IP; torn Achilles
2021-22: 0 starts; Achilles setback,then second torn Achilles
2023: 24 total games between Minors and Majors; IL stint because of right forearm inflammation
2024: 25 games, 79.2 IP; stint on the IL because of right shoulder strain
2025: spent April on IL because of right biceps strain
That's the guy the Cubs traded for. The only guy they added to the starting rotation. Bravo.
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