KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The fifth spot in the Atlanta Braves’ pitching rotation was open when spring training began.
Now it is wide open, and it might not be the only vacancy.
Touki Toussaint didn’t do anything to help his bid for the rotation Thursday, giving up five runs in one inning in his second exhibition start, a 7-6 loss to the Detroit Tigers. The 22-year-old right-hander who made his MLB debut last season – he started five games for the Braves and came out of the bullpen to earn their only postseason win – is considered a strong candidate to be the fifth starter.
But right-handers Mike Foltynewicz and Kevin Gausman have encountered arm problems early in camp, along with two of the other rotation candidates. So far, Foltynewicz’s sore elbow and Gausman’s sore shoulder are considered minor setbacks.
“It’s early camp,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “I’m sure everybody goes through that. That’s why you need a lot of them.”
The first six Tigers to face Toussaint on Thursday reached base, and former Braves prospect Dustin Peterson hit a three-run home run.
“Today was one of those days they got me early, and it happens,” Toussaint said. “This was my first big day. There’s no excuse.”
At least he is healthy.
“That’s all spring training is for,” he said. “I made some pitches and they hit them. I threw everything I wanted for strikes. I hit a guy on a breaking ball, walked one. But I felt good.”
Said Snitker: “He’s fine, so that’s the big thing. I saw enough last year to know what the kid’s capable of, but he’s got to go out and improve himself.”
Toussaint came to camp in competition with Luis Gohara and Mike Soroka for the fifth spot behind Foltynewicz, Gausman, Sean Newcomb and Julio Teheran. Each of those four started at least 30 games last season, although 21 of Gausman’s starts came with the Baltimore Orioles before he was traded on July 31.
Foltynewicz, who pitched two innings in his first spring start Sunday, was scratched from his scheduled start on Friday. Gausman has yet to pitch. Gohara has been held out because of a sore elbow, although the 22-year-old left-hander has been throwing on the side.
Soroka, who came to camp as the favorite for the fifth spot if he could show he was over the shoulder problems that ended his season last June, threw lightly on the side Thursday. The Braves are taking a cautious approach with the 21-year-old right-hander, who went 2-1 in five starts as a rookie.
“We’re going to need him before the year is over. That’s why we want to make sure we go by the proper procedures right now,” Snitker said. “We just want to get him right and get him pitching. He missed a significant amount last year.”