Michael Soroka’s immaculate inning
Michael Soroka threw the first immaculate inning of 2026 — nine pitches, three strikeouts — a rare display of efficiency and command that stood out during Opening Day coverage. It’s a reminder that elite execution still shows up in small, decisive bursts. (youtube.com)
The inning came at Chase Field against the Detroit Tigers on March 30, 2026 during Arizona’s home opener. (mlb.com) Soroka fanned Javier Báez, Kerry Carpenter and Gleyber Torres and finished the night with 10 strikeouts over five innings while allowing four hits and one walk. (mlb.com) The start was Soroka’s first for the Diamondbacks after he signed a one-year, $7.5 million deal with the club in December. (espn.com) Those 10 strikeouts were the most by any Arizona pitcher in his debut, topping Randy Johnson’s nine-strikeout debut on April 5, 1999. (mlb.com) Soroka was an MLB All-Star in 2019 with the Atlanta Braves and had missed substantial time after back-to-back Achilles injuries that cost him most of 2020 and the entire 2021–22 period. (espn.com) The pitch that retired Gleyber Torres was clocked at 95 mph, and Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Soroka’s spin and glove-side run disrupted his hitters all night. (espn.com)
