GWINNETT, Ga. -- While the Braves played their 64th game of the 2019 season on Saturday at Marlins Park, veteran left-hander Dallas Keuchel dealt with the fact that rain prevented him from making his first-scheduled step toward joining Atlanta’s rotation.

Once Triple-A Gwinnett was rained out, Keuchel resorted to completing a modified side session within Coolray Field’s indoor batting cages. The veteran southpaw, who signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Braves on Friday, will now view another northern Georgia locale when he starts Monday night for Class A Rome.

“I just really wanted to get out there and get going,” Keuchel said. “I felt the sooner I could get out there, the quicker I could help the big league team. You can’t really do anything about Mother Nature.”

With this rainout, it would no longer be possible for Keuchel to make two starts before June 18, which is when the Braves are contractually obligated to place him on their big league roster. But the 31-year-old hurler said there could be some flexibility, including the possibility he could deem himself ready after just one start.

Because Keuchel was optioned to Gwinnett Friday, the Braves cannot place him on their active roster before June 17, unless he replaces somebody who is placed on the injured list.

“There’s some leeway to figure out how I feel,” Keuchel said. “We’ll see after Monday. I was hoping to see after tonight.”

What occurs between now and when Keuchel is ready to return to the Major League level will influence who is the odd man out within Atlanta’s rotation.

"There's a number of ways we could go," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "Obviously, when he's ready, he's going to get slotted in. We'll deal with that when we get there. Anything can happen from now until then. You have to have a plan, because if you don't, you get stuck."

The 31-year-old Keuchel is a two-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Award winner, and he won the 2015 American League Cy Young Award. Over seven seasons, he is 76-63 with a 3.66 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 192 games (183 starts).

Veteran backstop Brian McCann worked alongside Keuchel in Houston, where they won a World Series championship in 2017. They have been batterymates in 30 games, with Keuchel posting a 3.49 ERA in those outings.

"He's a gamer. He knows what he's doing. He's a pro. He checks all the boxes that you're looking for in a starting pitcher," McCann said. "He's going to bring a ton to this team. His work ethic is off the charts, great teammate, competes as hard as anybody I've ever been around, [he's an] athlete, all the above. I can't wait to see him, and I'm happy we got him."

Not only can Keuchel help the bullpen's workload (he's notched three seasons of 200-plus innings), but he can also serve as an example to the young arms on the pitching staff.

Max Fried and rookie Mike Soroka, who pitched a career-high eight-plus innings in Friday's 7-1 win, hope to pick Keuchel's brain and learn from his experience.

“It’s exciting. When you see a team that, we’ve got so much talent and so much experience in this clubhouse, a great mix of both," Soroka said. "To add a guy like him, who's been there, has been there with Mac and won a World Series, just another guy you’re going to learn a lot from and hopefully give us that [boost] to make a run for it again.”

Even former foes like Josh Donaldson, who spent all eight seasons of his career in the AL before signing with the Braves in November, appreciates what Keuchel will offer. Donaldson went 7-for-25 with one double, one homer, three RBIs, five walks and four strikeouts against his soon-to-be teammate.

"He uses both sides of the plate with a heater, fastball, cutter inside," Donaldson said. "He does a really good job of throwing strikes that are on the plate. But with his stuff, it actually allows him to feel like the plate's bigger than what it is as a hitter. He can change speeds on you with the changeup and a breaking ball as well."

One thing was prevalent throughout the clubhouse on Saturday afternoon: The front office's move sends a message that it expects the Braves to compete.

"It's a big boost for our club," Freddie Freeman said. "We've got a lot of awards in this clubhouse now. We've got a Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, MVPs, Manager of the Year, All-Stars. We've got a good group of guys in this clubhouse now, and I think we're built to win."