Soroka earns 4th win, Arenado homers as Diamondbacks top Blue Jays 6-3

Right-hander Michael Soroka tied for MLB lead in wins among starters with his fourth victory of the season.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 4:22am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball game, with players and the field broken down into sharp, overlapping shapes and planes of color.A cubist interpretation of the Diamondbacks' victory over the Blue Jays, capturing the dynamic energy and movement of the game.Phoenix Today

Nolan Arenado homered and right-hander Michael Soroka earned his fourth win of the season, tying him for the MLB lead among starting pitchers, as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 on Friday night in Phoenix.

Why it matters

The Diamondbacks are off to a strong start this season, and Soroka's emergence as an ace-caliber pitcher is a key reason why. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays are looking to bounce back after a slow start to the year.

The details

Soroka went seven innings, giving up five hits and two runs while walking none and striking out five. Arenado's solo homer in the fourth inning was his third of the season. Corbin Carroll and José Fernandez had RBI singles in the fifth inning off Blue Jays starter Eric Lauer. Jonathan Loaisiga gave up a run in the eighth on a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. single, but struck out Jesús Sánchez to end the threat. Paul Sewald pitched a scoreless ninth for his major league-leading seventh save.

  • The game was played on Friday, April 18, 2026.
  • Soroka is just two years removed from a 0-10 season with the Chicago White Sox.

The players

Michael Soroka

A 28-year-old right-handed starting pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks who is tied for the MLB lead in wins among starters with four victories this season.

Nolan Arenado

A slugging third baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks who hit a solo home run in the fourth inning of Friday's game.

Corbin Carroll

An outfielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks who had an RBI single in the fifth inning.

José Fernandez

An infielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks who had an RBI single in the fifth inning.

Eric Lauer

The starting pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, who went five innings and allowed three runs.

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What they’re saying

“Nolan Arenado homered and right-hander Michael Soroka moved into a tie for the MLB lead in wins among starters with his fourth of the season as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3.”

— JACK THOMPSON, Author

What’s next

The two teams will face off again on Saturday, with the Blue Jays sending ace Max Scherzer to the mound against the Diamondbacks' Zac Gallen.

The takeaway

Michael Soroka's strong start to the season has been a key factor in the Diamondbacks' early success, as the team looks to build on its 6-3 road trip. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays will need to find a way to bounce back after a slow start to the year.