Assuming Mike Foltynewicz gets to pitch in Tuesday’s All-Star game, the Braves plan to rest him against the Nationals in the first series after the break.
And assuming they don’t acquire a starter in a trade in the next week, they plan to start Luiz Gohara or Max Fried in a July 24 game at Miami.
Manager Brian Snitker said he probably would start Sean Newcomb in Friday’s series opener at Washington, followed by Anibal Sanchez and Julio Teheran in the weekend games against the Nationals.
In that scenario, Foltynewicz would start July 23 in the opener of a two-game series at Miami, and the Braves probably will have one of their rookie left-handers, Gohara or Fried, start July 24.
At this point Gohara seems the more likely choice because the Braves might have Fried make a couple of minor-league rehab starts to be sure he doesn’t have a recurrence of the finger blister that put him on the 10-day disabled list.
Snitker expects Foltynewicz, the only pitcher among the Braves’ four All-Stars, will expend plenty of energy during his first All-Star experience in Washington, with all the festivities in addition to an expected appearance in the game. He’ll be one of the more rested All-Star pitchers there since his last start of the first half was Wednesday.
“Where Folty’s at, with everything he’s going to go through, just the whole first experience with the All-Star game, adrenaline rushes and the whole scenario. ...” Snitker said. “He’s going to be (rested). I don’t know how they’re not going to use him.”
Gohara gave up seven hits, two runs and one walk with three strikeouts in six innings of a Friday start at Gwinnett and would be in line to start June 24 for the Braves after one more start at Gwinnett. Fried could also be in line for that start if the Braves decided to activate him after only one rehab start, which he’ll make in the middle of next week at Gwinnett. The first test for his blister will be Monday in a bullpen side session at Gwinnett.
“We’ll wait and see after his (rehab) start, where he’s at, if the blister holds and all that kind of stuff,” Snitker said. “That’s going to be a thing, too. He feels good now, he’ll throw the (side session), but we want to make sure he gets through that start before we even take the next step. ... I don’t want him coming up here and having to leave early again, so you want to make sure the blister problem is behind him, for now.”
