The Chicago Cubs reinstated right-hander Michael Soroka from the 15-day injured list before Monday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, though his role will look different than originally planned. Acquired from the Washington Nationals at the July 30 trade deadline to bolster the rotation, Soroka will now be used out of the bullpen.
The 28-year-old made just one appearance for Chicago before landing on the injured list. In his Cubs debut on Aug. 4 against the Cincinnati Reds, Soroka pitched two innings before exiting with a right shoulder strain. The Cubs placed him on the IL the following day. On his only rehab outing with Triple-A Iowa on Sept. 11, Soroka worked 2.1 innings, allowing one run and striking out three while his fastball averaged 95 mph and touched 96.
Soroka’s year on the mound has swung between promise and fragility. Between Washington and Chicago, he is 3-8 with a 4.86 ERA (45 earned runs in 83.1 innings) across 17 starts. His struggles primarily surfaced the deeper he went into games. When facing batters the first time through the order, Soroka held opponents to a .87 WHIP and posted a 3.66 FIP, with a 25.7% strikeout rate and just a 4.6% walk rate. Those numbers worsened the second time through the order (1.12 WHIP, 3.87 FIP, 30.9% strikeout rate, 7.2% walk rate) and fell off dramatically the third time through (2.03 WHIP, 7.47 FIP, 13.3% strikeout rate, 13.3% walk rate).
That trend explains Chicago’s decision to shift Soroka into a multi-inning relief role, joining Javier Assad and Aaron Civale as long-relief options. His velocity resurgence makes him a candidate for middle relief or setup duties as the Cubs manage the absence of closer Daniel Palencia, who has converted 22 of 25 save chances with a 3.00 ERA in 52 appearances before a right shoulder strain sidelined him on Sept. 8.
To clear roster space, the team optioned right-hander Ben Brown to Triple-A Iowa. Brown has logged 25 games (15 starts) this season, going 5-8 with a 5.92 ERA across 106.1 innings. While he has struck out 121 hitters, good for a 25.6% strikeout rate, his overall inconsistency has limited his effectiveness in high-leverage situations.
The Cubs, holding the National League’s first Wild Card spot, now hope Soroka can stabilize the bullpen. Amidst established options such as Caleb Thielbar, Brad Keller, and Drew Pomeranz, Soroka’s efficacy in relief may prove decisive down the season’s waning stretch.
