Even after missing two months, Chris Sale is a silver lining in a lost Braves season.
Sale, in his third start since returning from the 60-day injured list, fared OK on Wednesday in the Braves 3-2 loss to the Cubs at Truist Park. The reigning Cy Young winner surrendered three runs on seven hits over five innings, striking out nine while walking one.
“I think I was decent early on, but as the game went on, I really only had one pitch,” Sale said. “The change-up was non-existent. I threw one competitive change-up tonight. Slider was good, I just couldn’t locate my fastball in. If I’m going to be successful, I have to get that pitch in to righties. Even some of those strikeouts on fastballs, they were fastballs right down the middle. Command was not great.”
It says a lot about Sale that this was his worst outing since returning. Before Wednesday, Sale had allowed two runs on seven hits over 12⅔ innings against the Phillies and Mariners. He’d surrendered one run or fewer in eight consecutive starts dating to May 16, which was the longest streak by a starter in franchise history.
Sale had stressed the importance of finishing this season healthy so he could have a normal offseason. All’s well on that end, and the Braves will need him 100% next spring as they try to return to postseason-caliber form.
Credit to the Braves’ bullpen, which held the Cubs scoreless for four innings. The unit has fared terribly lately with a 7.36 ERA this month, third worst in the majors behind the Twins (8.47) and Yankees (7.71). The Braves have used 13 relievers this month, so a large portion of that is players who won’t factor into the club’s future.
Per Braves public relations: Raisel Iglesias, Dylan Lee, Tyler Kinley, Pierce Johnson and Dylan Dodd have each logged at least 10 games since August began. They’ve combined for a 1.95 ERA in 71 appearances. All but Dodd pitched Wednesday. The other 15 relievers in that time have a 7.18 ERA in 44 games.
The Braves finished 2-4 against the Cubs, who took two of three from them last week at Wrigley Field and in the past few days at Truist Park.
There are only three home series remaining in the season. The Braves are off Thursday before opening a three-game series against the Astros this weekend. Hurston Waldrep (4-0, 1.33 ERA) will start Friday’s series opener.
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