Mike Soroka isn’t considering a cautious approach to his comeback from a torn Achilles tendon after throwing on the opening day of the Atlanta Braves‘ spring training.
“Really, on the mound I am ready to compete,” Soroka said, adding, “I feel amazing.”
Soroka was the Braves’ 2020 Opening Day starter but then tore his right Achilles tendon in his third start of the season. The right-hander needed surgery before beginning his recovery with the goal of being ready to open the 2021 season.
Braves pitchers and catchers had their first workout on Thursday in North Port, Florida. Manager Brian Snitker said Soroka “looked really good” while throwing.
Soroka said his arm feels as strong as normal for the start of spring.
The question, of course, is the health of Soroka’s right leg. He said the Achilles tendon is strong, but he acknowledged he still has to build up the strength in his calf, knee and hip.
Even so, Soroka had a quick response when asked if it would be smart to avoid trying to be ready by Atlanta’s opener at Philadelphia on April 1.
“Obviously my response to that is I’ll tell you I could be ready to compete right now,” Soroka said.
Soroka was an All-Star in 2019, when he was 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA and finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. Soroka, 23, leads a young foundation for the rotation that also includes Max Fried, Ian Anderson and Kyle Wright.
The Braves signed veterans Charlie Morton and Drew Smyly to one-year deals in the offseason, adding depth and experience to the rotation.
Snitker has other options, including Bryse Wilson, Sean Newcomb and Huascar Ynoa, so a careful approach to Soroka’s 2021 debut would not be a surprise.
Soroka said it is important to understand the Achilles “is as strong as it’s going to be” only five months after surgery. His surgery was in August, so he is six months into his rehabilitation.
There are more tests to pass. Soroka will run on Friday. He must show he can push off the mound to cover a bunt. He also must swing a bat and run out of the batter’s box.
Despite his optimism, Soroka acknowledged that he can only “run a little bit.”
“It’s not where exactly I need to be,” he said. “I need to get a little strength so I can come out of the gate hot.”
Snitker avoided making a prediction on the date of Soroka’s first start of 2021. Snitker said he will know more about Soroka’s timetable in about three weeks.
“I don’t think it’d be fair to him or us to say he’s not going to make the starting rotation, he’s going to be delayed, he’s going to do this or is going to do that,” Snitker said.
“We’re just going to do what we can and see what transpires. … Would you like to have him from the get-go? Absolutely. But I don’t know that I can give you that answer right now.”
Soroka has talked with two players who have made full recoveries from the surgery, Cardinals and former Braves right-hander Adam Wainwright and Phillies outfielder Roman Quinn.
“Talking to those guys and understanding what I was going to go through, it didn’t mean I was going to feel 100 percent at six months,” he said.
Based on the advice from Wainwright and Quinn, Soroka expects to make big gains in the next two months. He began throwing on the flat ground in November before progressing to the mound.
Motivation comes from his memories of watching on TV as his teammates advanced to the NL Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers and finished one win away from the World Series.
“One of the cooler and harder things I’ve ever had to do,” he said. “… Not to be there was pretty hard, when you’re sitting on a couch at home, not throwing on your feet yet. It’s a tough moment, and it’s not something I’m going to forget any time soon.”