TRADE: Cubs Acquire Starting Pitcher Michael Soroka From Washington Nationals

Late Wednesday night, as the trade deadline looms, the Chicago Cubs have made their first pickup, acquiring Michael Soroka, a starting pitcher. I wrote a profile of Michael Soroka a few days ago, pleading with the Cubs to nab him, and they did. 

As illustrated in the piece I linked to above, Soroka has pitched far better than his results would suggest. Washington's terrible defense likely plays a large part here. However, Soroka has been snakebitten by the opposing lineup getting to see him a third time, as his wOBA against jumps from .251 the first time, to .308 the second time through, and a whopping .451 the third time through. If you're starting to feel a comparison to Ben Brown here, that's probably fair. It's also why, as Rogers suggests, he could be destined for the bullpen, filling a similar role to the departed Chris Flexen. Soroka would represent a substantial upgrade in that regard.

The return for Washington is a pair of Cubs minor leaguers, Christian Franklin and Ronny Cruz. Both were routinely placed outside of the Cubs' top-10 lists. 

Franklin, an outfielder playing for Iowa, likely profiles as a backup at the next level, capable of playing all three positions. He has a strong approach and batted ball data that is improving, but likely never fields well enough at center to allow his mediocre power to find a permanent home. A career that reminds you of Mike Tauchmann feels like a realistic outcome for the (now) former I-Cub.

Ronny Cruz was the Cubs' 2024 third-round selection in the amateur draft. Cruz has played with the Arizona League Cubs this season, posting a 91 wRC+ and playing primarily third base. The infielder is a developmental prospect who has some intriguing power but needs to continue to develop physically before much is known about him. 

The move for Michael Soroka is likely just the first trade of a handful that the Cubs are likely to make before 5 pm CST tomorrow when the trade deadline closes.

What do you think of the move to get Michael Soroka? Do you think the value was fair? Do you think he will be a starter or a reliever? Let us know in the comment section below!