Why Michael Soroka is Early Favorite for National League ROY

When it comes to the National League Rookie of the Year race, Pete Alonso, Chris Paddack and Fernando Tatis Jr. have stolen headlines early on.

But, don't forget about a star right-handed hurler in Atlanta.

Yup, I'm talking about Atlanta Braves pitcher Michael Soroka. Soroka is absolutely on fire to start the campaign, posting a 1.01 ERA through seven starts, with a 41:14 K:BB ratio through 44.2 innings.

In his seven starts, he 's faced lineups in the Top 10 in runs scored three times. In those three outings, Soroka has allowed just two earned runs through 18 innings, with 13 strikeouts and 11 hits allowed.

Yes, Soroka has been that good: The highlights don't lie.

Soroka's best start of the season came on Monday night against the San Francisco Giants, where he tossed eight innings of two-hit ball and was just flat out filthy.

Although Paddack has a 1.93 ERA in nine starts and Alonso has been the Mets' best hitter with 15 homers and 35 runs batted in, you could argue no one has been as impressive as the Atlanta hurler. The fact that he's performed like a frontline ace at 21 years old just shows you how elite his stuff is.

The MLB season is a marathon, so things could change as the year progresses. However, Soroka has been even better than advertised, which is bad news for the NL East.