Braves Make Game 2 Starter Decision Amid Chris Sale Uncertainty

Atlanta Braves suffered a 5-3 defeat in Game 1 of their NLDS series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, leaving them with a 0-1 record in the best-of-five series. The upcoming Game 2, scheduled for Sunday at 8:00 pm ET, remains a critical juncture for the Braves. While most experts anticipate Chris Sale, the ace of the Atlanta pitching staff, to take the mound for Game 2, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic has cautioned against this approach.

In a piece published on X (formerly Twitter), Rosenthal argued that a more prudent strategy would be for the Braves to maintain a bullpen day in Game 2 and keep Chris Sale on the bench until Game 3. Rosenthal explained, "Unappealing as it sounds, the better strategy for the Braves would be to stage a third straight bullpen day in Game 2 and preserve Sale for Game 3."

This sentiment was echoed by the consensus within the Braves organization, who acknowledged that if any pitcher could succeed under such challenging circumstances, it would be Sale. However, Rosenthal noted that the 37-year-old Sale, who has a history of injuries, would face a substantial risk in pitching on two days of rest following his 21-pitch relief appearance in Atlanta's decisive Game 3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Despite these concerns, Rosenthal conceded that "The consensus in the Braves clubhouse was that if any pitcher can succeed under such trying circumstances, it’s Sale." If Chris Sale does indeed start Game 2 against the Dodgers, Atlanta fans might hope to witness a road victory and even the series.