The Braves won the battle today, taking Game 2 of their doubleheader with the Mets to clinch a playoff berth for the seventh consecutive season. However, it feels like they might have lost the war.
Ahead of that crucial second game, it was announced that Chris Sale would not pitch with the Braves attempting to avoid elimination due to back spasms. The frontrunner for the NL Cy Young award notably experienced a dip in velocity in his last start back on September 19th, and while the Braves kept saying they were saving him for a potential elimination game, something didn’t smell right.
Now, we know the truth, and even worse, Brian Snitker told reporters after the game it’s unlikely Chris Sale will be available for the Wild Card series either.
Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters he does not expect National League Cy Young favorite Chris Sale, who was scratched today with back spasms, to pitch in their wild card series against San Diego. Massive loss for the Braves, whose rotation is now in flux.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) September 30, 2024
This truly is the season from hell for the Atlanta Braves. Amid all of the injuries, they somehow found a way to get over the hump and make it to October, only for their MVP of the season to go down with injury at the most inopportune time.
Chris Sale is a warrior, so the fact that he is missing starts when the games matter most suggests this isn’t some small issue. Something is really bothering him, and the Braves might have to do this thing without him, which will be even more difficult after depleting their entire pitching staff to even get into the dance.
It’s one final hurdle that may prove too difficult to overcome, but the 2024 Braves have shown an incredible amount of grit to get to this point. Perhaps they have one more ounce of magic to keep this thing going, and hopefully, Chris Sale will feel good enough to go in the NLDS.
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Photographer: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire
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