Following the news of starting pitcher Michael Soroka signing with the Washington Nationals, the Nats are officially on the board this Winter. Does this mean the signings will begin to roll in? The Nats inked Soroka to a 1-year, $9 million deal, which is a bit of an overpay for a player with an injury history as deep as his.
The Nationals are going in a different direction this offseason. The departures of veterans likeJoey Meneses, Illdemaro Vargas, Trevor Williams, and Patrick Corbin among others signify a youth movement that is long overdue. Soroka, 27, looked to be an ace in the making during the 2019 season, posting a 2.68 ERA in his first entire season. Over the next three seasons, Soroka would battle two separate tears of his Achilles and would miss essentially three seasons. In 2024, Soroka landed on his feet with the White Sox, posting an ERA of 4.74 in nine games and 16 appearances out of the bullpen. His record was 0-10, but he was on the worst team in MLB history. The idea behind signing Soroka is he can reclaim some of his potential pre-injury and become serviceable for the Nats in 2025.
Nine million per season isn't cheap. Does this mean the Nats are more ready to dive into their pockets than previous offseasons? I get a mixed reaction from this signing for one reason: why spend nine million on an injury-prone starting pitcher? If the idea of signing Soroka is to flip him at the trade deadline, he has to be healthy six months into the season. His chances of being healthy aren't great based on his career injury history. I will gladly eat my words if he pitches well and gets flipped for a prospect.
Does the Nats' spending nine million clearly indicate a direction for the remainder of the offseason? That is unclear. One could argue that nine million is significant enough to believe more is on the horizon. One could also say that no, spending nine million on an injury-prone starting pitcher means the Nats are still unserious about their acquisitions. Fans were frustrated at the lack of activity this offseason but were unsatisfied with Soroka's signing. The comment section of various social media posts on X and Instagram was filled with negative comments regarding the signing.
It's an odd time to be a Nationals fan. While there are many young players to be excited about, the organization's overall direction is troubling. It's a positive indicator that the team will give out nine million per season, but the player they chose to give it out to is concerning. What are your opinions on the Soroka signing and the direction of free agency?