The Braves did the unthinkable last night, winning back-to-back games for the first time all season, but it didn’t come easy. For the second consecutive night, Atlanta’s bats had to lead them from behind late in the game after Chris Sale turned in another concerning outing.

The reining NL Cy Young winner hasn’t looked anything like the guy who simply couldn’t be touched a year ago. His control has been erratic, and the velocity seems to come and go with each passing outing. Last night was no different. Chris Sale was able to rack up eight strikeouts in just four innings, but he left a few too many balls over the heart of the plate, and by the time the fifth inning arrived, his arm seemed totally shot.

In the first four innings, Sale’s heater was sitting around 95-96, but that number plummeted to just 90 in the fifth, raising eyebrows across Braves Country.

Chris Sale's final 4-seamer of the fourth inning was 95.4. His final pitch of the fifth was 94.5 mph. But his first three 4-seamers of the fifth ranged between 90.3-90.8 mph.

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) April 20, 2025

For a couple of reasons, the concerns are legitimate. Obviously, Chris Sale is no stranger to injuries. Prior to arriving in Atlanta, he hadn’t pitched a full season in a half-decade. Additionally, the Braves have had just about the worst injury luck possible dating back to last year. Anytime something has looked remotely off, it’s usually followed by a lengthy IL stint.

However, after the game, a displeasured Chris Sale didn’t put any blame on a potential injury and even said he feels close to getting right despite the dismal results thus far.

Asked about tonight's outing, Sale said, "I (f-in) sucked again." He described the 90 mph pitches in the fifth as "a couple of misfires." He thinks he's close to getting right. He then said, "But no one cares about that. This is a game of results."

— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) April 20, 2025

Chris Sale is now 36-years-old with an injury history as long as a line at the DMV. Every time there’s a drop in his velocity, questions surrounding his health are going to understandably arise. Hopefully, it’s nothing more than just rust and his body taking a little longer to get acclimated to the workload required to go deep into games. As long as Sale’s healthy, nobody should be worried about his performance long-term.

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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire