Mike Soroka Felt Discomfort While Playing Catch Tuesday, Could Still Return for Series Against Mets

The Atlanta Braves avoided what could've been a disastrous injury after X-rays on Mike Soroka's right arm came back negative. The rookie stud was lifted from his start Sunday against the Nationals after he was drilled by a pitch on his throwing arm in the top of the third inning.

While the initial update was viewed as extremely positive, the young right-hander is not quite out of the woods. According to MLB's Mark Bowman, Soroka experienced extreme discomfort while playing catch on Tuesday.

He is still scheduled to throw off a mound on Wednesday, upon which Atlanta will determine if he's good to go for the Braves' upcoming weekend series against the Mets.

Soroka (bruised right forearm) felt some lingering tightness when he played catch today. The plan is for him to throw off a mound tomorrow. The Braves will then decide if he'll make a start during this weekend's series against the Mets.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 25, 2019

Hold your horses, Atlanta.

"Lingering tightness" are two words you NEVER want to hear associated with a young arm that possesses as much talent as Soroka. Do yourselves a favor and don't rush him back, even if the mound session goes well tomorrow.

RHP Mike Soroka was removed from the game as a precaution after being hit on the right arm.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 23, 2019

The 21-year-old has been superb through his first 13 big league starts, boasting an 8-1 record, to go along with a 2.07 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 78.1 innings pitched.

Soroka is simply too valuable to Atlanta's rotation for the club to repudiate his necessary recovery time. If Bowman's update told us anything, its that his forearm is nowhere close to being fully healed from that HBP.