Anibal Sanchez will move into the Braves’ rotation as expected Saturday, and the veteran will stay there for a while, pitching on a more regular basis than some fifth starters do.
In announcing Sanchez would make his first start Saturday against the Rockies, Braves manager Brian Snitker said he plans to have him pitch every fifth game, even if off days in the schedule might allow him to be skipped.
Snitker wants to take advantage of chances to get extra rest for others in a rotation that has two starters, Mike Foltynewicz and Sean Newcomb, who’ve never pitched as many as 160 innings in a season and veteran Brandon McCarthy, who last pitched 100 innings in 2014.
“Slot him in there and give everybody another day (of rest),” Snitker said. “We’ll probably do that as much as we can, take every chance we get to give the starter an extra day. He’ll just fill into that spot right now.”
Highly regarded rookie Luiz Gohara was slated to begin the season in the rotation before spraining an ankle in the second week of spring training. Gohara is rehabbing in extended spring training and was to pitch two innings in a game Friday, Snitker said. He’s not expected to join the Braves’ rotation until late April at the earliest.
“He’s just starting his normal progression,” Snitker said, “he’s in (his) spring training, it’s his second time or first time out pretty much. So it’s just getting him built back.”
The Braves signed Sanchez late in spring training, and the 13-year veteran made his season debut Monday with three scoreless relief innings Monday against the Nationals, allowing one hit and three walks with two strikeouts.
“I liked him in spring training, and (he was) really good the other day in the three innings that he pitched,” Snitker said. “At this point with where we’re at, I think he’ll be a good person to fill that spot.”
Sanchez is 4-0 with a 1.77 ERA in five career starts against the Rockies, but hasn’t faced them since 2014. His only start at Coors Field was in 2011, when Sanchez gave up five hits and three runs in eight innings, all the runs on solo homers.
