Why Michael Soroka Signing was Smart Move for D-backs

The Arizona Diamondbacks made a smart signing.

Jul 23, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Michael Soroka (34) throws to the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images | Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Earlier on Monday, it was reported that the Arizona Diamondbacks had reached an agreement with former Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals starting pitcher Michael Soroka.

The deal is for one year and $7.5 million, worth up to $9.5 million based on incentives.

Related Content: Diamondbacks Sign Former Cubs Starter

The D-backs are in a state of extreme roster need, especially with regard to their starting pitching. The addition of Soroka is low-risk, but the perfect way to begin climbing the mountain of a difficult 2025 offseason. Here's why:

Why Michael Soroka Signing Was Perfect Move for Diamondbacks

Oct 4, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Michael Soroka (99) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the second inning of game one of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Soroka is not a name or resume that will make Diamondbacks fans excited immediately, and that's exactly why the move was a good way to begin adding to the roster.

Arizona needs more than one starting pitcher and has extremely limited funds with which to make additions. What the D-backs needed more than a flashy ace trade (at least to start out) was some level of stability and innings coverage.

Soroka provides that for a reasonable price and without a major multi-year commitment, and allows the D-backs to continue to pursue a potential top-end arm in a trade.

Granted, his numbers haven't been of the elite variety. He pitched to a 4.52 ERA in 2025 with the Nationals and Cubs, and was relegated to a long-relief role with Chicago after just one start.

But it's worth noting Soroka's expected ERA was much lower — a 3.45 figure. He's also struck out north of nine batters per nine innings in back-to-back seasons, and put together an All-Star campaign in 2019 with the Braves.

His fastball is not a soft offering, sitting 93-94, and his hard-breaking slider-curve hybrid pitch was unhittable, posting a .118 opposing average in 2025 — the lowest figure of any qualified pitch in MLB.

Arizona is adding stuff and at-least-decent velocity to their rotation while on a budget, with the potential of high-ceiling results.

Soroka's biggest red flag has been injury. The right-hander missed 2021 and 2022 with significant injuries and has been on and off the IL in recent seasons. The only season he's thrown north of 100 innings, however, was his 2.68 ERA campaign in 2019.

But Soroka has shown both his ceiling and his floor over the course of his career. Even his back-to-back lackluster seasons would have been better results than much of the D-backs' rotation in 2025.

If the D-backs can coax an above-average season's worth of starts out of the right-hander, the contract will look like a steal, whereas severe underperformance — while unideal — would not look as ugly as the likes of an Eduardo Rodriguez (or, potentially, Corbin Burnes) contract.

Arizona needed to raise the floor of their rotation, in need of multiple starters. In theory, Soroka will do just that, as long as he can stay healthy and relatively consistent.

There's still plenty of work to be done on this roster, but to start one's offseason addition list off with a low-cost, high