Soroka dealing with shoulder inflammation

Michael Soroka’s bid to return from right Achilles surgery has been delayed by right shoulder inflammation.

Soroka felt the shoulder discomfort while completing just one inning in an intrasquad game at the Braves’ alternate training site on Tuesday. Tests showed no structural damage, but the 23-year-old right-hander will be shut down for the next two weeks.

“I’m concerned for [Soroka],” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I hate that he did all this work. I don’t know how many of these things you’ve been around, but they never go as planned. There’s always bumps in the road.”

There had been some hope Soroka could return during the Braves’ second homestand, which runs from April 23-29. He hasn’t experienced any trouble with his Achilles tendon, which he tore on Aug. 3 in his third start of last season. But there was always some concern he might experience some kind of setback during his long return bid.

“I told him things happen for a reason,” Snitker said. “He’ll continue to work hard and be diligent with what he’s doing and you never know how it might end.”

Soroka finished sixth in National League Cy Young Award voting after posting the NL’s third-best ERA (2.68) in 2019. His rotation spot could be filled by Bryse Wilson or Huascar Ynoa, who threw five scoreless innings in what was supposed to be a spot start against the Nationals on Wednesday.