Diamondbacks sign Soroka

Calgary Redbirds and Junior National Team alum Michael Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) has signed a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

December 9, 2025

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Right-hander Michael Soroka has signed a one-year, $7.5-million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The deal, which is pending a physical, was first reported by Jesse Rogers and Jeff Passan of ESPN on Monday.

According to Robert Murray, of FanSided, Soroka can earn an additional $2 million in performance bonuses.

The Diamondbacks will be the fifth major league team Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) has suited up for during his big league career. He spent parts of four seasons with the Atlanta Braves before being dealt to the Chicago White Sox on November 16, 2023. Following one season with the Sox, the 6-foot-5 righty signed with the Washington Nationals and made 16 starts for them prior to being traded to the Chicago Cubs at the deadline last July.

In 2025 with the Nationals, Soroka posted a 3-8 record and a 4.87 ERA, while striking out 87 batters in 81 1/3 innings. He then made one start with the Cubs before suffering a shoulder strain which sidelined him for almost six weeks. Upon his return, the Cubs used him exclusively as a reliever. He didn’t permit an earned run in five September relief appearances and he also pitched in two postseason games.

Soroka’s 17 starts in 2025 represented his most since 2019.

A graduate of the Calgary Redbirds, Soroka was a first-round pick (28th overall) of the Atlanta Braves in 2015. In 2019, he went 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA in 29 starts to win the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award and finish second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting.

Between 2020 and 2023, however, his career was curtailed by a series of injuries, most notably he tore his right Achilles tendon twice.

In all, Soroka has pitched in parts of six major league seasons. In 91 games (69 starts), he owns a 20-26 record and a 3.85 ERA. He has struck out 379 batters in 415 2/3 innings.

The Diamondbacks are looking for rotation help after they dealt away Merrill Kelly at the 2025 deadline and ace Zac Gallen is a free agent.