After watching the Braves bullpen blow the lead not once but twice in Game 1 of Monday’s doubleheader, which was soon followed by the news that Chris Sale would not be starting Game 2 due to back spasms, Brian Snitker‘s club somehow had to get up for a must-win Game 162 to clinch a postseason berth. Nothing about it was normal, but if we’ve learned anything from the Braves in 2024, they can roll with whatever punches are thrown at them.
In Game 2, it was the old reliable pitching staff that saved the Braves season. Brian Snitker was forced to go to an all hands on deck approach in wake of the Sale news, choosing to turn to Grant Holmes for the start, who pitched 1.2 innings as recently as yesterday. Going from the soon-to-be NL Cy Young award winner to a guy who spent a decade in the minors before finally getting an opportunity with the Braves earlier this season is not how anybody saw the final game of the season going, but Holmes delivered.
The 28-year-old right-hander was able to make it through four strong, striking out seven and allowing just one hit and one walk. He did leave a mess behind him for Daysbel Hernandez to clean up, though, who entered the fifth inning with runners at first and second and nobody out. Thankfully, yet another rookie was able to come through big for the Braves, striking out the next two batters before forcing a groundout to end the frame.
But perhaps the wildest thing I saw in a day full of nothing but craziness occurred at the start of the seventh inning, when Brian Snitker turned to Reynaldo López for three outs, hoping to bridge the gap between Hernandez and the Braves top two relievers.
Starters pitching on short rest in relief is a staple of October, but Lopez was just on the IL a few days ago. He threw 73 pitches in a start on Saturday, then turned around and pitched a clean inning on Monday. Who the hell knows how the Braves plan to approach the Wild Card series as far as their pitching is concerned, but they certainly have enough horses to make it work.
In the seventh, it was who other than the Big Bear coming through with one final clutch hit, bringing in two runs and extending the lead to three for Joe Jimenez and Raisel Iglesias. It was the exact same position the Braves found themselves in earlier in the day, but this time, no heart medicine was needed, as the Braves have officially clinched a postseason berth for the seventh consecutive season.
Now, all eyes turn to Game 1 of the Wild Card series, which is scheduled to take place tomorrow in San Diego. It’s an unbelievably quick turnaround for a completely depleted pitching staff, but the question everybody wants to know — will Chris Sale be available?
The veteran was scratched from Monday’s start with back spasms, and Alex Anthopoulos was unable to give an answer regarding his availability moving forward. All we can do is speculate right now, but Chris Sale is warrior, and if he was unable to go today in an elimination game, you have to wonder how bad the injury really is.
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Photographer: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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