Soroka agrees to 1-year deal with Nats to be a starter

The Nationals are in agreement on a one-year deal with right-hander Michael Soroka, the team announced on Thursday. The deal is expected to be worth $9 million, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, though the team did not confirm the value.

Soroka, a former first-round Draft pick out of high school by the Braves, spent the 2024 season with the White Sox. Despite his 0-10 record, the 27-year-old made significant improvements when he was moved to the bullpen in May. From May 18 onward as a reliever, he had a 2.75 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 36 innings. His strikeout rate tripled after the move to the bullpen.

The Nationals, however, plan to use Soroka as a starter, according to reports, which is what he's done for most of his career. The righty was a breakout All-Star for the Braves in 2019, finishing second in the Rookie of the Year race and sixth in Cy Young Award voting. He made 29 starts that year, which remain his career high, and put up a 171 ERA+ in 174 2/3 innings.

Injuries derailed his status as the next Atlanta ace, with Soroka missing the entire 2021 and 2022 seasons due to twice rupturing the same Achilles. Yet Soroka was fully healthy in 2024 and made 25 appearances, including nine starts at the beginning of the season. The Nationals are banking on the increase in velocity he showed in the bullpen being a sign that his injury issues are in the past and he can be an important depth piece in the rotation with experience in the bullpen if necessary.