Braves' Soroka out for season with torn Achilles tendon

Atlanta Braves right-hander Mike Soroka will miss the rest of the 2020 season with a torn Achilles tendon in his right leg, the team announced Monday.

Soroka suffered the injury when he fell trying to cover first base on a ground ball in the top of the third inning against the New York Mets. He was helped off the field.

It's a brutal loss for a Braves team looking to win the NL East for a third straight year.

"This night sucks. It really does," Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman said, according to David O'Brien of The Athletic.

The 23-year-old ace opened the game with a pair of scoreless innings before getting into trouble in the third. He was ultimately charged with four runs on three hits and two walks in the frame and was replaced by reliever Chris Rusin.

Atlanta was already in a rough spot in regard to the rotation. Veteran left-hander Cole Hamels hasn't pitched yet this season due to triceps tendinitis and right-hander Mike Foltynewicz was recently designated for assignment.

Max Fried, Sean Newcomb, Kyle Wright, and Touki Toussaint remain in the rotation, though a replacement for Soroka has not been announced.

Soroka emerged as one of baseball's most exciting arms in 2019 when he went 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA across 29 starts. He was named to the NL All-Star team and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting and sixth in NL MVP voting.