The Braves didn’t have a spectacular Thursday.
Mike Foltynewicz was scratched from his Friday start with elbow soreness – an issue he worked through last year. The Braves don’t have a timetable as to when he’ll return to the mound.
That news was followed by confirmation that Luiz Gohara and Kevin Gausman are battling their own problems. Gohara has a tight shoulder as he’s still working his way back from last season’s injury, while Gausman’s own shoulder soreness has stalled his debut. Mike Soroka played catch Thursday, reporting no hitches, after he’d been shut down with shoulder discomfort.
When Thursday’s game started, the Tigers tagged Touki Toussaint for five runs in the first 10 minutes. Toussaint, favored for the last rotation spot, completed only an inning. The good news: His shoulder wasn’t bothering him.
And the cherry on top: Bryce Harper reportedly signed with the Phillies, making them the probable National League East favorites. And they might still not even be done.
“Good for him,” Snitker said when informed of Harper’s deal. Snitker rarely comments on other team’s moves, but it’s safe to say the Braves have had better days.
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Now, none of the Braves’ injury circumstances are particularly worrisome at this juncture. But a bevy of discomforts through two weeks could cloud the picture of what the Braves will look like March 28 when they open the season on the road against Harper’s Phillies.
Foltynewicz’s short-term fate will be determined this weekend when he’s evaluated. The Braves said if it was the regular season, he wouldn’t miss a start, but there’s at least a possibility he misses opening day. For now, there isn’t a reason to be pessimistic.
Gausman and Gohara are unknowns, but there’s no reason to believe the former won’t be ready for the season. Gausman was a pivotal piece after joining the Braves at the trade deadline last summer, and the team will rely on him as an innings-eater as they shuffle youngsters in and out of the starting five.
Gohara made several positive changes this winter, from dropping weight to altering his lifestyle. His tumultuous 2018 ended with shoulder problems, so the Braves are play it carefully with the lefty who’s trying to regain his once exalted status.
“I just keep thinking, at the end of ’17, that guy was as good as there was,” Snitker said of Gohara. “Up and down, tough year last year. We just want to get him going also, get him back to what he’s capable of.”
Soroka hopes to pitch in games later in March, which eliminates him from contributing early in the majors. The hope there is his shoulder is feeling good in April and the team can insert him into the rotation mix sooner rather than later.
“We’re going to need him before the year’s over,” Snitker said. “That’s why we want to make sure we go through proper procedures and everything right now. That’s a guy we figure to be in our plans this year. We just want to get him right, get him pitching.”
As for Harper, he’s been in the NL East. Dealing with him for another 13 years is just a continuation of the past seven. In the immediate future, it looks like the Phillies will be the biggest threat to the Braves defending their division title.
For the Braves to come through, they’ll need health on their side. Playing it slowly with their pitchers in February and March, they hope, will mean their best options are available in summer.
