The Braves remain committed to developing big lefty Luiz Gohara as a starter, though the bullpen could remain in his immediate future.
Gohara has operated as a long reliever since joining the team May 8. He’s pitched twice, striking out four, walking two and allowing one run in 5-1/3 innings.
He hurled three innings at Miami on May 10 and pitched 2-1/3 against the Cubs on Tuesday.
But Gohara, who impressed in a five-start sample size in September, is still viewed as a starter. There’s just no place for him in the current rotation, especially since the promotion of fellow youngster Mike Soroka.
Soroka was placed on the disabled list Thursday, but Gohara had pitched two days before and still isn’t fully stretched out. Max Fried was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to make the spot start.
The Braves may eventually send Gohara back to Triple-A so he can prepare as a starter, but for now, Snitker sees benefit in using him out of the bullpen.
“We want him to start,” manager Brian Snitker said. “But in getting to that point, it’s not going to hurt him to pitch him out of the bullpen a few more times. That’s not going to be a problem either. But we don’t look at him, I think, long-term as a bullpen piece. I think we see him potentially as, like we did last year, as a starting pitcher.”
There was no young arm generating more excitement than Gohara before spring training. His September had teased the potential of a frontline left-hander with a strikeout prowess.
That didn’t materialize in spring training. The 21-year-old never pitched, sidelined with groin and ankle injuries. He wasn’t reactivated until April 28, when he was optioned to Triple-A.
He was unimpressive in 15-2/3 minor-league innings, allowing 18 runs (12 earned) in four starts with Double-A Mississippi and Gwinnett. But the Braves promoted him knowing he could provide length.
In two opportunities, Snitker liked how Gohara’s repertoire played in relief.
“He’s a kid that we might need him up here to do like what he did the other day, because he’s a guy that you can go multiples with, or if something happens he could go for a while because he has been stretched out,” Snitker said. “Like I say, I thought everything played up a tick the other day, more than it did in Miami.”
Gohara could go multiple innings Thursday night, Snitker said. With the Braves’ rotation full, excluding injured veteran Anibal Sanchez, Gohara will best help the team where he is.
“You look at him as a starter, but who knows?” Snitker said. “If our needs are the bullpen and he fits that role and is going to help us win games, we’ll put him down there.”
