The Atlanta Braves are hoping to get young starting pitcher Mike Soroka back from the 60-day IL at some point this season. Having missed the entire 2021 season with an Achilles injury, fans were fired up to hear that the lefty was expected to begin a rehab assignment soon. It seems, however, that he may need a bit longer than initially expected. While pitching ahead of his rehab assignment, Soroka reportedly was struck in the knee by a comeback line drive, according to Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Soroka was expected to be cleared to set out on a rehab assignment in the coming days but after sustaining the knee injury, it's anticipated that he'll need a tad more time to heal up. Toscano indicates that it's just a bruised knee for Soroka, so it won't hinder his return to the big leagues all too much.
The 24-year-old has been throwing in Florida ahead of his rehab assignment, though no specific date has been set for when he'll make his first appearance. The Braves are hopeful he'll return to the team during the second half of the season.
Soroka was dealt a brutal hand when it comes to injury He suffered a torn Achilles in the beginning of the 2020 season. After rehabbing for a year, Soroka re-injured his Achilles while working towards a return to the Braves.
It's been a long road back for Soroka, so the comebacker of his knee is just a minor blip compared to the obstacles he's overcome.