Calgary’s Soroka shows rare poise in MLB debut
They’re details Mike Soroka will remember for the rest of his life.
How he blacked out when his cellphone rang and it was Damon Berryhill, the manager of the Gwinnett Stripers, the Atlanta Braves’ Triple-A club, telling him he’d be throwing in his Major League Baseball debut on Tuesday against the New York Mets.
The conversations with his Dad Gary, who toiled in the Western Hockey League and Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League once upon a time, and longtime pitching coach Chris Reitsma, helping him with his mental preparation to get ready for the moment.
How it felt to see his name next to that of the New York Mets ace Noah Syndergaard’s on the Citi Field scoreboard, listing the starting pitchers.
His first pitch — a fastball, low and away.
The sound of the Braves’ dugout and his teammates cheering him on when he was up to bat in the first inning.
But at the end of the day, it’s the same game he’s played since he was a youngster growing up in Calgary.
And it’s the same 60 feet and six inches — the distance between home plate and the pitcher’s mound — that has been dominating his dreams his entire life.
“You definitely process it and go back to those days spent on baseball diamonds,” said Soroka. “A lot of my friends and family that came down have been with me through so much of it. I would say that a big part of it is confidence and you have to understand that. I’ve been a professional for three years. But it’s also a reality and you have to realize that you’re ready for it.
“Once I kind of realized that, I built up the confidence to get out there. It’s the same game. Just a couple more decks in the stadium and a few more people. Really, it’s throw the ball, make a pitch, and catch it.”
Soroka did that — efficiently — through six innings, allowing six hits, one run and no walks with five strikeouts in a 3-2 win over the Mets. Fifteen of his family and friends were on hand, having scrambled to put travel plans in place over the weekend when the 20-year-old right-hander received news of his call-up.
“My dad knew a few days in advance that it might happen but it was up in the air a little bit,” said Soroka, a former pitcher for the Calgary PBF Redbirds and graduate of Bishop Carroll High School. “They gave me the word I was either going to throw again for Triple-A or Tuesday with Atlanta. I was just sitting in my room in my apartment, waiting for a call. I got a call from my manager in Triple-A and told me I was going to the big leagues.
“That was a bit of a rush right there — I kind of blacked out for a minute. I called my dad right away. It was definitely a bit of a spectacle but when I got with the team, I felt much more calm.”
Soroka’s ascension isn’t unexpected, although being from Calgary — a city better known for its on-ice stars than baseball prospects — makes his situation unique.
He was listed as one of Baseball America’s Top 100 MLB Prospects for 2018, ranked No. 27, while hitting MLB.com’s charts at No. 31.
“Having signed right out of high school, I wanted to dedicate this time to baseball,” Soroka said. “I really hope I can be an inspiration to kids — not just in Calgary but all across Canada — that if you want to spend a lot of time doing it, there’s nothing that can stop you from chasing your dreams, you know?”