Don’t write in Luiz Gohara to make Wednesday’s start at Philadelphia just yet. Or if you do, use pencil and not pen.
While the Braves hope to have the rookie make his first start of the season in that series finale against the Phillies, manager Brian Snitker said Saturday that he’s not told Gohara that he’ll start that game because plans could change if the left-hander is needed out of the bullpen again before then.
Gohara, 21, has made three relief appearances since May 10 and allowed just two hits, two walks and one run with five strikeouts in seven innings. He said after his latest relief appearance Friday that he had been told he would start Wednesday and was excited.
“He’s in the bullpen until that game. He’s a candidate (to start Wednesday),” Snitker said. “If we don’t have to use him (in relief) at all I’d like to have him start that game. But I didn’t tell him he was going to start. ...
“I would love for him to start it, but we might need him prior to that. I’m not going to pitch a (position) player in a game to help him make the start. Hopefully we’ll be aligned and survive enough to let him because I think it would be good for him to start.”
The Braves need a starter Wednesday to take what would’ve been Mike Soroka’s rotation turn. Soroka was placed on the 10-day disabled list Thursday with a shoulder strain and Mike Wisler was brought from Triple-A to make a spot start Friday.
Soroka’s issue isn’t considered serious, and he could return within a couple of weeks, but will first need to make a rehab start once he’s resumed his throwing program.
Gohara has been a highly touted starting prospect his whole pro career and continues to project as a long-term starter in the view of the Braves. They’ve used him in relief only because they had a need there and wanted to give him a shot at it after Gohara struggled in his injury-rehab starts.
The big Brazilian was penciled into the Braves rotation entering spring training, based on Gohara’s impressive five-start September stint with the major league team, including 31 strikeouts in 29-1/3 innings. However, groin and ankle injuries kept him out of Grapefruit League games all spring and he began the season on the DL.
He went 0-3 with a 6.89 ERA in four rehab starts, allowing 22 hits, five homers and 10 walks in 15-2/3 innings against Double-A and Triple-A competition. But since he was brought to the majors to fill a bullpen spot, Gohara has looked a lot more like the promising pitcher he was last season when he shot through the Braves’ minor league system.
It has been an emotional six months for the youngster, whose father died while Gohara was home with him in the offseason. His mother also is battling a serious illness at home in Brazil, and Gohara might go on the bereavement list soon so that he can go spend some time with her.
“It’s a lot to put on a young guy, that’s for sure,” Snitker said. “Especially to go through it when you’re on this stage and everything you go through with the pressures and all of the playing in the major leagues. I think he’s been handling it really well here. His stuff’s getting better.
“I think it’s good for him to be here in this environment with these guys. Because like I say, I’m seeing progress with him, and that’s good. Because we all know what he’s capable of, we just want to try and get him back to where he was a year ago – he stood out, in a really good way….
“We’re here for him, trying to help him through. Because it’s tough. It’s a lot to put on a young guy’s shoulders, a lot to handle. I think he’s done a remarkable job staying focused on his job. We’re trying to do whatever’s best for him, and he’ll communicate what his needs are to us, and we’ll help him through.”
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