How Michael Soroka, Justin Martinez Did in Their 1st Rehab Games

The Arizona Diamondbacks did not come out of the Trade Deadline with any pitching upgrades, but they will be getting some reinforcements to their staff in the coming weeks.

Two such arms that will be of significance to Arizona are right-handed starter Michael Soroka and righty flamethrowing reliever Justin Martinez. Both of these players have began their rehab assignments in the minor leagues on Tuesday night.

Here's how they both performed:

Michael Soroka throws strong start for Reno Aces

Jun 2, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Michael Soroka in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Soroka, who may be able to make his return after just one rehab start, made a very strong effort on Tuesday night for the Aces. The right-hander has been working his way back from a glute strain, which has taken a bit longer than expected to reach its resolution.

Soroka pitched four innings, allowing three hits, two walks and one earned run. He struck out just one batter, but mostly limited base traffic.

Soroka's command was mostly strong, though there were a few batters in which he did not have a handle on his arsenal. Still, his four-seam fastball sat in the 92-93 MPH range and topped out at 93.7.

Soroka had averaged that exact 93.7 on the four-seam during the season, so the velocity is not necessarily all the way back, but it's close.

The 28-year-old right-hander did not record the win due to only pitching four innings. Instead, the win went to left-hander Blake Walston, who also made his first rehab start of the year after having Tommy John surgery. Walston threw a scoreless inning with no base traffic.

Arizona needs Soroka to return to the mound sooner than later. Their banged-up rotation currently holds two rookies, and Soroka was having an excellent season, with a 3.07 ERA and mostly-strong peripheral metrics. It may not be too long before Soroka takes the mound in a D-backs uniform once again.

Justin Martinez makes first rehab start for Visalia

Jun 4, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Justin Martinez (63) reacts after an out against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Martinez, meanwhile, has been working his way back from Tommy John surgery after suffering a season-ending elbow injury in 2025. His timeline is a bit stricter, given the severity of his injury and the fact that he's had multiple elbow procedures in his yoing career.

Martinez, who officially was given the "start" Tuesday night, pitched a 1-2-3 first inning for the Visalia Rawhide. He struck out two batters and induced a flyout.

Martinez's command looked quite sturdy, though pitch velocity data is not available for Visalia's game. His readings have looked close to his normal level throughout this rehab process, however.

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