Michael Soroka throws immaculate inning in dazzling Diamondbacks debut
Michael Soroka became the fourth Diamondbacks pitcher in club history to throw an immaculate inning on Monday against the Detroit Tigers.
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PHOENIX — Three up, three strikeouts, nine pitches.
Michael Soroka became the fourth Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher in club history to throw an immaculate inning during Monday’s 9-6 win against the Detroit Tigers at Chase Field.
Soroka struck out 10 batters across five shutout innings in his Diamondbacks debut and Arizona’s home opener.
He punched out Javier Baez, Kerry Carpenter and Gleyber Torres in his momentous fifth inning, all swinging. Soroka struck out the first two with slurves and Torres with a fastball on the outside corner.
The last Diamondbacks pitcher to record an immaculate inning was Wade Miley in 2012 against the Colorado Rockies. Byung-Hyun Kim in 2002 and Randy Johnson in 2001 were the other two, and Johnson was in the crowd at Chase Field watching Soroka’s performance.
Kim and Soroka were the only two Diamondbacks to throw immaculate innings without striking out an opposing pitcher.
IMMACULATE INNING FOR MICHAEL SOROKA!
10 strikeouts through 5 innings in his @Dbacks debut! pic.twitter.com/M9hopu3jxN
— MLB (@MLB) March 31, 2026
“Definitely in pro ball it’s my first one ever,” Soroka said postgame. “Yeah, it was pretty special. I think I’ve talked to you guys about not putting too much stock in results, but I think that’s one that’s worth celebrating. … I tried to play it off but started smiling off the field.”
Soroka said he understood what was happening before his last pitch, as the fans really started getting into it. He realized that he had not thrown a ball yet but dialed in to deliver that final strike.
“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen one up close and personal,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “I didn’t even know it was an immaculate inning until the pitching coach (Brian Kaplan) turned to me and said, ‘That was unbelievable. Did you see that?’ … It was a solid outing for him, and to be honest with you, I think there’s more in there.”
Gabriel Moreno said it was his first time catching an immaculate inning, and he did not realize what just happened until he reached the dugout.
This was the first immaculate inning in MLB this season, as the last pitcher to do so was San Diego Padres reliever Mason Miller last September.
More Diamondbacks history for Michael Soroka
Soroka’s 10 strikeouts were the most by a pitcher in his Diamondbacks debut all-time, surpassing Johnson’s nine from 1999.
This was also only the eighth game when a Diamondbacks pitcher struck out 10 or more hitters in five or fewer innings of work. Eduardo Rodriguez was the most recent Diamondback to do so last April against the Washington Nationals.
Soroka’s day ended with the Diamondbacks leading the Tigers 8-0, as he retired the last eight batters he faced. The right-hander threw more slurves than any other pitch, drawing nine whiffs on 20 swings.
“It’s always kind of been a hybrid,” Soroka explained. “It’s always been at its best between the two, so I vary it a lot early in counts, sometimes dump one in there a little more curveball-y. It just kind of switches up based on what I feel like the hitter looks at and where I’m feeling that day.”
Soroka put together quite the introduction to a new fanbase after the 28-year-old signed a one-year-deal with Arizona during the offseason. Chase Field’s attendance was a sold-out 48,350.
Soroka spent the 2025 campaign with the Nationals and Chicago Cubs, making appearances as a starter and reliever. The veteran has been clear this spring that he sees himself as more impactful in the rotation, and the Diamondbacks will have a difficult decision to make when Merrill Kelly comes off the injured list as soon as April 8.
“I’m not going to worry about that right now,” Lovullo said.
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Comments
29 Comments
I thought that a slurve is what you buy at QT, 7-11 and Circle K.
"Tens of millions" refers to a, vague, large quantity ranging from $20,000,000 to $99,999,999.
Joe Ross has a $1.5M guaranteed one-year contract.
Paul Sewald has a $1.5M one-year contract.
Ryan Thompsons has a $ 3.95M one-year contract.
They are not making TENS of millions. Ros and Sewald is making a little more than the MLB minimum of $ 780,000.
It's Hazen's job to find pitchers who can pitch in the MLB not the Bubba & Melvin's Slow Pitch Softball league! The Dbacks pitching (starting and relief) has been ranked at the bottom of the MLB. The bullpen has been at the bottom for the MLB for 10 years..
Joe Ross had a spring training ERA of 7.71. There were other pitchers with better ERA that were sent to the minors. Why did Ross made the roster? Because he is dirt cheap!
Hazen is infamous for signing has-beens, never-beens, reclamation projects, etc.
It's Hazen's job to find pitchers who can pitch. It's not like last night was an aberration. This is the third straight season of sucky Dbacks bullpen performance.