Braves' Mike Soroka to Miss Rest of Season After Suffering Torn Achilles Injury

The Atlanta Braves announced Monday that right-hander Mike Soroka will miss the remainder of the 2020 season with a torn right Achilles tendon.

Soroka started Monday's 7-2 defeat to the New York Mets and exited after 2.1 innings. He broke toward first base and immediately went down with an injury. He was helped to the dugout as he avoided putting weight on his right leg.

"When you lose, in my mind, one of the top pitching arms in this entire game for the whole season, it's pretty tough," Braves star Freddie Freeman told reporters. "He was unbelievable last year. He had a 2.60 as a rookie, and he was off to an incredible start again. It really just—it just sucks."

The Braves selected the 22-year-old Soroka with the 28th overall pick in the 2015 draft. He made his MLB debut on May 1, 2018, against the Mets and made five starts that season.

In his first full year in the majors, Soroka lived up to the hype in 2019. He went 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA and 3.45 FIP in 29 starts, per Baseball Reference. He was an All-Star for the National League and finished sixth in NL Cy Young Award voting.

The 60-game regular season means division races are bound to be tight, though the expanded postseason lowers the bar for entry.

Should the Braves qualify for the playoffs, Soroka's absence will loom large.