Sports · Baseball · 3 hrs ago
Michael Soroka Declines Diamondbacks Option and Returns to Free Agency
Michael Soroka declined his mutual option with Arizona and will return to free agency after receiving a $1 million buyout.
The 28-year-old right-hander joined the Diamondbacks on a $7.5 million deal last offseason.
He made 20 starts and earned performance bonuses, then finished with a 3.41 ERA over 116 innings.
Injuries interrupted his season, but he held a rotation spot and delivered reliable results; his workload was his highest since 2019.
The source expects Soroka to attract a multi-year contract, though questions about how many innings he can handle may limit its size.
Arizona has shown interest in bringing him back, but the team may seek a younger pitcher in a trade while addressing other roster needs.
Michael Soroka declined his end of a $10 million mutual option with the Arizona Diamondbacks and will return to free agency.
He will receive a $1 million buyout.
Soroka pitched 116 innings with a 3.41 earned run average for Arizona.
He also recorded a 24.1% strikeout rate and a 6% walk rate.
- Who
- Michael Soroka, a starting pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
- What
- He declined his end of a $10 million mutual option and will return to free agency.
- When
- October 31, 2026.
- Where
- With the Arizona Diamondbacks.
- Why
- He put himself in position to do well financially as a free agent.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Soroka signed a $7.5 million deal with the Diamondbacks.
An injured list stint for Merrill Kelly drew Soroka into Arizona’s starting rotation.
Soroka pitched 116 innings and posted a 3.41 earned run average.
Soroka declined his end of the mutual option and returned to free agency.
- Mutual option
- $10 million
- Buyout
- $1 million
- Arizona innings
- 116
- Earned run average
- 3.41
- Strikeout rate
- 24.1%
- Walk rate
- 6%