The Atlanta Braves entered October with a struggling rotation, which contributed to their early exit following a two-game sweep by San Diego. A key absence this year was Chris Sale, the likely NL Cy Young winner, who had his healthiest and most productive season since 2017. Unfortunately, back spasms sidelined him for the last two weeks of the regular season and the NL Wild Card round.
Recently, we received some hopeful news about Sale, though it may disappoint Braves fans. According to GM Alex Anthopoulos, Sale felt great after a recent side session and would have made the NLDS roster if the Braves had progressed.
It’s frustrating to think the Braves were so close to giving Sale a chance in the playoffs. However, it’s positive that he avoided serious injury, allowing him to have a productive offseason. Sale attributed his strong performance to having a normal offseason for the first time in years, which helped him achieve the first NL Triple Crown since Clayton Kershaw in 2011.
Knowing he won’t face offseason injury challenges is encouraging, and he can prepare as he did last winter, setting him up to be one of baseball’s top pitchers in 2024. Hopefully, the Braves can head into next October with a healthy rotation capable of a deep playoff run, similar to their success in 2021.
