The Braves placed left-hander Luiz Gohara on the bereavement list as planned Friday and recalled right-hander Matt Wisler from Triple-A Gwinnett.
Gohara traveled to Brazil to spend some time with his mother, who is recovering from heart surgery. He can spend from three to seven days on the bereavement list, per Major League Baseball rules.
“After that you’ve got a restricted list or something like that. So hopefully he’ll be back on, what would it be, (June 1)? That’ll be his due day back.”
Snitker said depending on how much, if any, throwing Gohara is able to do while in Brazil, he might need to throw once or twice in side sessions upon returning before he’s ready to pitch in games, and then might be ready to move back into a bullpen role assuming that’s how he’s used.
Wisler will be available out of the bullpen for the Red Sox series through Sunday.
“We just brought him up as the (corresponding move) for Gohara, with nothing else other than to help out (in the bullpen) three days and see where we’re at after Sunday,” Snitker said.
If Wisler is not used in relief this weekend, he would be a possibility to start the opening game of Monday’s doubleheader against the Mets at SunTrust Park, with Brian McCarthy scheduled to pitch the seccond game.
Wisler would be just one of the Monday options discussed, Snitker said, and it would depend on his weekend usage. The Braves don’t know yet if they’ll use the special 26th man that teams are permitted for doubleheaders to bring up another starting pitcher Monday or use it for an extra position player.
Top prospect Mike Soroka, on the disabled list with a shoulder strain, was to throw off a mound Monday in Atlanta and has felt good in recent days, Snitker said. But Soroka is expected to make a rehab start before he returns to the rotation, which would eliminate him as a possibility for Monday.
Gohara, a 21-year-old rookie, made his first start of the season Wednesday at Philadelphia and allowed four hits, two runs and four walks with six strikeouts in four innings of a 4-0 loss, pitching well early before appearing to tire late in the 78-pitch outing. He didn’t get much help from his defense.
In three relief appearances before the start, Gohara allowed only two hits and one run – on a homer – with two walks and five strikeouts in seven innings. He has a 2.45 ERA and .158 opponents’ average for the season.
Wisler has pitched exclusively as a starter this season in two stints with the Braves. He was 1-1 with a 3.63 ERA in three starts, including an exceptional season debut April 19 when he limited the Mets to two hits and one run with no walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings.
After giving up nine hits, four runs and three walks with no strikeouts in five innings of his next start April 25 at Cincinnati, Wisler returned to Triple-A. He was recalled for a spot start May 18 against the Marlins and allowed five hits, two runs and two walks with five strikeouts in a loss.
