The 13 innings the Braves played in a loss to the Angels on Saturday night chewed up their bullpen a bit, so manager Fredi Gonzalez has starter Aaron Harang on standby in case he’s needed to pitch out of the bullpen in Sunday’s series finale.
Harang was scheduled to throw his bullpen session Sunday in preparation for his turn in the rotation on Wednesday but Gonzalez said Harang would hold off on that work until it’s clear he won’t be needed in relief.
“He could (pitch) if he had to but it’s your bullpen day so how much can he go?” Gonzalez said. “Maybe an inning or two. It will be only in an emergency. We brought him in the office and asked him, he said, ‘No problem.’
Gonzalez said he “definitely” won’t use reliever David Hale Sunday after he threw 42 pitches over 2 1/3 innings Saturday. Gonzalez also wants to stay away from Shae Simmons, who threw 27 pitches in a Friday appearance and faced two batters Saturday.
Harang has thrown six games and 14 innings in relief during his 13-year career, the last time in 2010. Harang had a long relief appearance in between starts while pitching for the Reds in 2008.
That season Harang threw 103 pitches over 5 1/3 innings in a start at San Diego on May 22. Three days later he threw 63 pitches from the 13th through 16th innings in a game the Reds lost to the Padres in 18 innings. Harang made his next start four days later against the Pirates and was touched for six runs in four innings while throwing 73 pitches.
Gonzalez said he was considering using Sunday’s starter, Mike Minor, as a relief pitcher on Saturday if the game went on much longer. He had pitching coach Roger McDowell call general manager Frank Wren to tell him the Braves would need to call up a starter from the minor leagues for a start if Minor had to pitch on Saturday and Wren gave the OK.
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