Chris Sale’s Injury Affects Braves’ Performance

Unfortunately for the Braves, they lost Chris Sale, which has impacted his sale. The current National League Cy Young Award winner has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to a broken left rib, which he sustained during a game on Saturday.

The injury occurred on Wednesday while he was pitching against the Mets and making a leap from the mound during the Braves’ 5-0 win. Reports suggest his athleticism played a big part in saving what could have been a hit, further complicating the situation.

Sale made several quick movements across the rubber to snag a tricky bounce that was, well, quite impressive.

At 36, the left-hander collected himself and threw a final pitch just after hitting the 108-pitch mark, facing off against Pete Alonso before a single from Brandon Nimo spoiled his shutout.

Sale delivered an impressive performance, allowing just five hits and one walk while striking out seven against 116 pitches over 8 2/3 innings.

The Braves found themselves struggling, dipping below .500 earlier this month, but they bounced back, winning six of their last seven games, including a sweep against the Mets. But now, with Sale injured, they’re facing a new challenge.

Despite these setbacks, Sale has been throwing with remarkable effectiveness, boasting a record of 5-4, a strikeout rate, and an ERA of 2.52 over 89 1/3 innings.

This pattern of injuries is becoming all too familiar for the Braves. In recent seasons, they’ve faced various challenges, with key players like Reynaldo Lopez, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Spencer Strider all missing parts of the season.

Sale’s career, once seen as Hall of Fame material, has faced ups and downs—especially between 2020 and 2022. Thankfully, he seemed to regain his form with the Braves last season.

Austin Cox has been called up from the minors to fill in for Sale as they navigate this latest obstacle.