Gohara likely headed to Braves bullpen

Luiz Gohara was scratched from his scheduled Triple-A start Monday night, but not for health reasons.

There are indications the Braves have decided to use the big rookie left-hander in the major league bullpen for a while, as they have with other young starters recently including Max Fried and Lucas Sims.

The Braves start a seven-game road trip Tuesday at Tampa Bay and Gohara will likely join them at some point on the trip, perhaps right away if he doesn’t pitch in relief Monday for Gwinnett.

Gohara, 21, impressed enough in five September starts with the Braves that he was penciled in for a starting-rotation spot entering spring training. But he strained his groin in the first week of camp and then sprained an ankle during a pitcher’s fielding drill two days before what would’ve been his first spring-training start.

He missed the entire Grapefruit League schedule at spring training and began the season on the 10-day disabled list. After struggling in a few minor league rehab starts, Gohara was optioned to Gwinnett April 28 after his rehab stint expired.

His only start since that move was his worst: Gohara was charged with eight hits, six earned runs and four walks in 4-1/3 innings Wednesday at Charlotte.

In four starts total – one in Double-A, three in Triple-A – Gohara is 0-3 with a 6.89 ERA and has allowed 22 hits and 18 runs (12 earned) with 10 walks and 15 strikeouts in 15-2/3 innings. The 4-1/3 innings he pitched last week was the longest of his four starts.

Rated No. 23 prospect in Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects list entering the spring, Gohara has slipped a bit from the radar with the rise of 20-year-old Mike Soroka, who made his second major league start for the Braves on Sunday and will stay in the rotation, at least for the short term and possibly for good.

The other four rotation spots are occupied by Julio Teheran, Mike Foltyyewicz, Brandon McCarthy and lefty Sean Newcomb, who has made big strides in his second major league season. The Braves also have veteran Anibal Sanchez, who was in the rotation before straining a hamstring and is currently on the 10-day DL and hasn’t begun a minor league rehab assignment.