Should Nationals Be Concerned About Starter's Poor Finish to Spring Training?
Spring Training doesn't matter, but it does mean a little bit more for a team like the Washington Nationals with so many young players on their roster and in camp.
While the number of players has started to decline with cuts taking place, this is still an opportunity for those preparing for the Major League season to be sharp when Opening Day arrives.
That hasn't been the case for Michael Soroka.
Signed this offseason to a one-year, prove it deal, the amount of money he was given -- $9 million -- makes it a must that he is able to give the Nationals something.
Coming off a disappointing season with the Chicago White Sox where he was moved out of the rotation and into the bullpen after beginning the 2024 campaign with an 0-5 record and 6.39 ERA across seven starts, Washington knew they were taking a chance.
But when spring began, it looked like this was a move that might pay off.
His first two starts were incredible, giving up just one earned run on four hits in seven innings pitched, striking out nine batters while issuing just one walk.
However, things have taken a sour turn.
Soroka has been shelled in his past two starts, giving up six earned runs in each outing.
The veteran right-hander has also had a hard time generating swing and miss, ringing up just four batters in 8.2 innings pitched while walking 10.
That is a concerning development.
Again, spring training games don't matter, but for someone like Soroka, who struggled last year and has major question marks surrounding him entering the season, finishing this ramp up period on a high note would have made everyone feel better entering the upcoming campaign.
"It was clicking really, really well for four innings. And then guys get on, and I want to kind of try to be the hero, and again just do too much," Soroka said, per Mark Zuckerman of MASN. "You've got to get out of those innings and not let it snowball like that."
Trying to do too much is understandable.
After all, this is a last gasp for Soroka when it comes to his career as a starting pitcher at this level, having been given two opportunities in a row by teams that aren't expected to compete for a division title, let alone a championship.
He squandered the first one with the White Sox.
It's easy to see why he might be pressing to not squander this one with the Nationals.
Still, this is a concern surrounding Soroka as Washington enters the season, especially because he doesn't have a recent high-end track record he can point to that says everything will be fine.
The veteran pitcher will need to figure this out before the contests count, and since he has no more scheduled starts before the regular season arrives, he'll have to do that away from game action.
