Michael Soroka, the Cubs’ big addition at the trade deadline, is already out of the rotation. The right-hander, acquired last week in a trade with the Nationals, is headed to the injured list with a shoulder injury. His velocity had been down recently, but the Cubs initially decided it wasn’t a major concern. Given what the Cubs gave up in the trade, there’s a chance his diminished velocity lowered the asking price as well.
Shown above are Soroka’s velocity and spin rates during his 31-pitch outing on Monday against the Cincinnati Reds.