Nationals Starting Pitcher Avoids Major Injury, Hopeful for Quick Return

The Washington Nationals have received some good news on Michael Soroka.

Mar 31, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Washington Nationals pitcher Michael Soroka (34) pitches to the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Rogers Centre. | Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals are off to a bit of a slow start this year, and they recently saw one of their free-agent signings forced to leave the game early. 

In a loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Nationals saw their starting pitcher Michael Soroka leave the game early with the training staff, clenching his right fist. 

Due to the injury history of the right-hander, it was easy to think the worst. He was in clear discomfort after spiking a pitch into the ground and left the game immediately. 

Fortunately, it was later announced that he was dealing with a biceps cramp, and it doesn’t appear to be anything more serious. 

Now, the team and Soroka are trying to figure out when he will be back on the mound. The hope is that he will be able to make his next scheduled start, but they aren’t rushing him. 

“We’ve still got a little bit of time,” Manager Dave Martinez said to Mark Zuckerman of MASN. “We’ve got a day off. He wants to throw before we make any kind of decision. But today’s all about getting treatment, and seeing if we can get some of that soreness out.”

Getting in his normal throw day and making sure everything feels alright before putting a target date on a return makes a lot of sense. 

Considering the injury history for the former All-Star, being very careful, even with a cramp, makes sense. 

Currently, he is slated to start on Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but with an off day after the Blue Jays series, they might look to buy him an extra day and have him start on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

The health of the right-hander is certainly paramount at this point early in the season. After some years of struggles, this year feels like it could be one of the last chances to turn things around.