Would you have added Michael Soroka for $7.5 million?

"His xFIP was similar to his FIP in 2025, so there's not much of an upside play around HR/FB, but his contact management was much better than his peripherals or actual runs allowed, so any thoughts on upside are probably there. In terms of both command and stuff, his slurve is his real winner pitch, and the rest of his arsenal is largely a way to set it up. (He threw a slider before last year, the slurve is similar but about two mph slower.)"

"Soroka didn't take long to sign, securing a $7.5 million commitment from the Diamondbacks. While the Diamondbacks aren't projected to be terrible, they are projected to have one of the worst rotations in the game. Soroka is an upgrade for them, and at $7.5 million, there was probably a lot less risk ("Oh no, we're paying $7.5 million for a mop-up long guy" as the downside) relative to upside (a league-average starter for about 40 percent of the market price of one)."

Michael Soroka produced 1.1 fWAR last season with the Nationals and Cubs, including 1.2 fWAR in 16 starts for the Nationals before faltering with the Cubs. Projections view Soroka as roughly a league-average starter who will operate more as a heavy swingman. Peripheral metrics showed xFIP similar to FIP in 2025, limiting HR/FB upside, while contact management and his slurve provide positive signs. The Diamondbacks signed Soroka for $7.5 million, seeing an affordable upgrade for a rotation projected among the worst. Durability, Truist Park mound history, and late-season inconsistency remain concerns for long-term value.

Read at Battery Power