Right-hander Touki Toussaint will start for the Braves against the Mets on Saturday, manager Brian Snitker announced.
The Braves opened a rotation spot when they designated Mike Foltynewicz for assignment earlier this week. Foltynewicz stayed with the organization, but he’s stationed at the team’s alternate training camp in Gwinnett.
Foltynewicz’s dismissal created an opportunity for Toussaint, who was a late arrival to camp after he tested positive for COVID-19. Toussaint has pitched in one game this season, when he allowed six runs over 2-2/3 innings in relief of Foltynewicz on Monday.
Toussaint should be good for 65 to 75 pitches, Snitker said. “It depends on (how he gets) there. If they are stressful innings, that would shorten that. You take each inning individually. We feel good because we got him around 60 last time, so 75 would be the next progression.”
The Braves will need Toussaint and other young pitchers to grow up quickly. Their rotation beyond Mike Soroka and Max Fried is loaded with questions. Including Friday, their next three games will be started by Sean Newcomb, Toussaint and Kyle Wright, a trio of players still trying to establish themselves as starters at the major-league level.
