Diamondbacks Sign Michael Soroka to Bolster 2026 Rotation
Arizona adds upside to a thin rotation with a one-year deal for the oft-injured Michael Soroka, betting that strong underlying metrics can translate into stable innings in 2026.
The Diamondbacks made their second impact signing of the 2025-26 offseason. Jeff Passan and Jesse Rogers of ESPN report that Arizona has signed right-hander Michael Soroka to a one-year deal. Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic adds that it’s a $7.5 million guarantee, with $2 million in incentives.
Soroka, 28, was once the face of the Atlanta Braves rotation. He broke out with a 6.0 bWAR season in his rookie campaign in 2019, but since then has struggled to stay on the field. Injuries prevented him from pitching in 2021-22, and he came back a shell of himself.
He bounced back in 2025, making 22 appearances (17 starts) for the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs. He pitched to a 4.52 ERA in 89.2 innings, the most since 2019.
While the 4.52 ERA doesn’t look great on the surface, underlying metrics suggest there’s more in the tank. His 25.1% strikeout rate and 7.7% walk rate are excellent, and his quality of contact metrics is solid. His 95+ MPH exit velocity rate of 40.4% and 6.7% barrel rate rank in the 51st and 76th percentile among pitchers on Statcast.
If you look at the expected metrics, which is based on just batted ball data, Soroka really shines. He gave up a .210 xBA and a 3.46 xERA, which rank in the 84th and 74th percentiles. It comes as no surprise that the D-backs, whose internal analytics are very close to Statcast’s expected numbers, pulled the trigger on the deal.
How Michael Soroka Fits the Diamondbacks’ Rotation
While it was pretty obvious upon signing, Arizona Sports insider John Gambadoro reported that Soroka will join the rotation. The signing simply improves the floor of their rotation, rather than their ceiling. He profiles more as a No. 4/5 starter than the future top of the rotation arm he was in his time in Atlanta.
It gives the D-backs a plug-and-play arm, albeit one with a very scary injury history, for 2026. Soroka should give Arizona some solid innings when he’s healthy. The issue is projecting how many innings he’ll record.
Right now, this is the current projection for Arizona’s rotation.
RHP Ryne Nelson
LHP Eduardo Rodríguez
RHP Brandon Pfaadt
RHP Michael Soroka
RHP Cristian Mena
The Soroka signing in a vacuum is solid considering the guarantees, but he can’t be their only move. They likely make one more high-profile move before moving on to address the closer issue. Merrill Kelly seems to be the likely candidate, as there’s reported mutual interest in a reunion. Kelly was shipped to the Texas Rangers at the deadline for three pitchers.
Considering his injury history, including a shoulder problem in 2025, the D-backs will need to solidify their depth. They have a multitude of arms in their system that profile more as bottom-of-the-rotation types. Cristian Mena, Bryce Jarvis, Kohl Drake, Dylan Ray, and Mitch Bratt all figure to get opportunities at some point next season.
Overall, it’s a good upside play for the D-backs for one year. With strong underlying metrics, it’s just a matter of getting him to survive the rigor of a starting pitcher workload. Realistically speaking, at most I’d project 120 innings. If he can get there, that’s a huge win.
Michael Soroka’s Stuff
Soroka features a four-seamer, sinker, slurve, and a changeup. He averages 93.6 MPH on the four-seamer and 93.2 on the sinker. However, it’s his secondary pitches that carry the arsenal.
The slurve is his main out pitch. He used it 34.8% of the time and it produced the best results (+7 run value). In addition to a big velocity drop (13 MPH difference), it’s his one glove-side offering in his arsenal. It produces 50.8” of drop on average (-8.3” induced vertical break) with 11.9” glove-side sweep. It produces a lot of swing-and-miss, with a 38.3% whiff rate and a putaway rate of 28.5%.
With a dynamic out pitch, the key is being able to use his other stuff to set up the pitch. The four-seamer was his worst pitch in 2025, producing a -3 run value. The D-backs should not table the pitch, but emphasize his other stuff more. There’s still value in keeping the pitch, as he “cuts” the fastball to make it a different shape compared to his sinker. Like with Pfaadt, it should be more of a change-of-pace offering than a feature pitch.
One pitch I wonder would be a good addition to the arsenal would be a cutter. It would serve as a good bridge offering between his arm-side fastballs and his slurve. The good news for Soroka is that Corbin Burnes is around to teach him while he’s rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, and the rest of the rotation throws one.
What’s Next?
I already mentioned that they need to grab one more starter, either through free agency or trade. Soroka alone doesn’t improve the rotation to the point where Arizona can even pretend to be competitive in 2026.
In addition to shoring up the rotation, the D-backs need to figure out the closer role. They’ve only been linked to Pete Fairbanks through the process. Brad Keller and Kyle Finnegan are also available in free agency. Mike Hazen must nail the closer signing, as another bad bullpen could spell the end of his tenure in the desert.
Other items on the wishlist:
Center Field Upgrade (Alek Thomas can’t hit MLB pitching)
Right-Hand DH (Goldy Reunion?)
Bullpen Depth