At the 2025 deadline, the Chicago Cubs made a few moves to bolster their rotation. However, according to MLB.com, the team could’ve done more. In addition to acquiring utility man Willi Castro and closers Taylor Rogers and Kittredge, the Cubs also added a starter, who is owed $9 million, to their rotation. That move was expected to bring stability to a rotation already reeling from injuries. And guess what? His debut lasted only two innings.

Michael Soroka turned 28 on Monday, and on the same day, he made his debut for the Cubs against the Cincinnati Reds. Setting the tone early, Soroka struck out three out of four batters he faced in the first inning. He continued into the second inning, but after a while, he exited due to right shoulder discomfort. The game continued after Soroka’s departure, and the Cubs were met with an ugly 3-2 loss by the Reds. Consequently, before Tuesday’s game, the Cubs placed Soroka on the 15-day injured list.

In a subsequent media appearance, Cubs manager Craig Counsell dropped some clarity on the starter. “Yeah, it’s a low-to-mid-grade shoulder strain. Basically anticipate on shutting him down for 7 to 10 days and then kind of reevaluate on where we’re at. All in all, not terrible news, you know. I think we will have a pretty good idea of what’s going on in a week.” Perhaps, in a week, we will get a better idea of Soroka’s return.

Notably, his velocity was dropping on all of his pitches. This did not first come to light on Monday; it was already a concern when the club acquired him from the Nationals. The velocity factor also prompted Jed Hoyer, the President of Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs, to make an admission.

“We knew the velocity was sort of trending down. We obviously talked through that extensively. And we felt like, given the market and given the asking price and given all those different things, we felt like it was a good bet to make. Ultimately, he walked off the mound [with an injury].” Further, Hoyer also expressed his disappointment. While he hasn’t gotten a full report on Soroka yet, he emphasized that after a ton of research, the Cubs went for him. “if it doesn’t work out, that’s on me,” he said.

Apparently, Soroka threw his fastest four-seam pitch of the season back on June 22, averaging 94.9 mph. Over the weeks, his speed gradually dropped. Most notably, on July 23, it had dropped to 90.9 mph. That’s a serious concern for Hoyer and the Cubs for now. After all, Soroka’s absence not only disrupts the immediate strategy but also raises concerns about the remainder of the season if he is out for longer than expected. However, the Cubs do have a backup plan!

Cubs’ next move to bolster pitching rotation

After putting the newest addition, Michael Soroka, on the injured list, the Cubs called up closer Nate Pearson from Iowa. Toward the end of July, Soroka had an MRI before his trade from the Nationals to the Cubs. The idea was to see if there was anything concerning his right shoulder because his velocity was dropping noticeably. The Cubs were not in the dark about this; they knew it and still traded their No. 13 and No. 14 prospects in the package for Soroka.

After Soroka’s setback, Hoyer clarified that, given the starter’s asking price and all the factors considered, it seemed like a good bet at the time. However, he added that it no longer looks like a good bet.

It’s very likely that Ben Brown will return to the rotation as a starter. On Monday, he filled in for Soroka when he had to depart after two innings. Brown allowed just one run in five innings. Within a couple of weeks, the Cubs should not only have Brown but also Javier Assad and Jameson Taillon. Both Assad and Taillon are gearing up for their long-awaited rehab starts, scheduled for Wednesday and Friday, respectively.