Soroka placed on IL with biceps strain, Rutledge called up

The Nationals have placed Michael Soroka on the 15-day injured list with a right biceps strain, throwing a wrench into the team’s rotation plans just one week into the season.

Jackson Rutledge was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to take Soroka’s roster spot, but the 2019 first-round pick has made the full-time conversion to reliever, so he won’t be joining the big league rotation.

Soroka, signed this winter to a one-year, $9 million contract, made his club debut Monday night in Toronto, allowing four runs over five-plus innings. He felt fine physically until his 83rd pitch the game, a spiked slider in the bottom of the sixth, after which he looked toward the dugout and began clenching his fist.

Soroka told manager Davey Martinez and director of athletic training Paul Lessard his right biceps muscle had cramped on that pitch, and he was taken out of the game. Afterward, he expressed optimism the injury wasn’t any more serious than that and was hopeful he could still make his next turn in the rotation.

Soroka did admit he would need to throw off a mound before knowing for sure he was good to go. He played catch prior to Wednesday’s series finale against the Blue Jays and would have been on track to throw a bullpen session either Thursday (an off-day for the team) or today. The Nationals had listed him as their starter for Sunday’s series finale against the Diamondbacks.

It’s unclear how the team will handle that start now. Shinnosuke Ogasawara made his Triple-A debut Monday, allowing one run over six innings, and would be on five days’ rest to pitch Sunday. The Nats also could bump up Trevor Williams, who pitched Tuesday in Toronto, and have him start on normal four days’ rest, with MacKenzie Gore doing the same the following night against the Dodgers. The team then wouldn’t need a fifth starter until Tuesday.

One option would be for the Nationals to give the start to Brad Lord, who has made three relief appearances over the last week. Lord, still considered a starting prospect by the organization, could probably go three or four innings before passing the baton to Rutledge or another reliever.

The Soroka IL move was backdated to April 1, making him eligible to return April 16 if he’s healthy by then.