Cubs injury update eliminates the scary red flag that haunted Michael Soroka trade

Tuesday was an important step forward for injured Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Michael Soroka. In throwing a live BP session before the Cubs' 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves, Soroka's velocity returned to the mid-90s. Of course, it was a dip in velocity before the trade that suggested the Cubs traded for damaged goods, but Soroka believes he is back where he needs to be.

“Sometimes that’s the funny thing about velocity is you can’t necessarily always feel what that number on the gun is,” Soroka said. “That’s kind of the weird part about the last month before I came here, was it still felt fairly similar. It was just velocity was somewhat gone...Now we’re back at the point where we’re out there and it feels normal and it’s back in the mid 90s, and we’re happy with that,” Soroka said. “So it’s good to feel [that].”

At the trade deadline, the Cubs dealt two organizational top 20 prospects, Ronny Cruz and Christian Franklin, to the Washington Nationals in exchange for Soroka. It was a gamble, considering Soroka's injury history, and even now, it feels like the Cubs took the cheapest of all available options.

Sure, avoiding trades for Edward Cabrera and MacKenzie Gore have worked in the Cubs' favor, but the same can't be said for avoiding a deal for Shane Bieber. Bieber has tallied 15 strikeouts over his first two starts with the Toronto Blue Jays. The cost would have been slightly higher than what the Cubs gave up for Soroka, but it felt like the more worthwhile gamble, considering Bieber's track record.

Scary red flag in Michael Soroka trade no longer haunts Cubs

Assuming there is no setback for Soroka after his throwing session on Tuesday, it seems the next step would be a minor-league rehab assignment. With Soroka likely returning to a role in the bullpen, the 28-year-old pitcher likely will only need a handful of appearances before being ready for a return.

Unfortunately, even if Soroka does return before the end of the season, it's hard to imagine the outlook of the trade will change. The trade, as it stands, looks like an egregious misvaluation by the Cubs' front office, and there's not enough time left for Soroka to change that reality.

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