Should we have expected anything less than what Chris Sale delivered Atlanta Braves fans on Saturday night against the Phillies? In what was his first start since mid June, Sale looked as dominant as ever against a great lineup as his 2.52 ERA dropped to 2.45 on the season after his amazing night of work.
Sale made an immediate statement by striking out Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and J.T. Realmuto (all swinging) during his first inning back from the rib injury. From there, Sale was never in too much trouble the rest of the night. The Braves rightly had him on a pitch count, but Sale made the most of his 78 pitches on the night by tossing six innings of one-run, nine strikeout baseball.
Welcome Back Chris Sale!
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 30, 2025
3Ks in the 1st...including a literal back foot Slider. 🙂 pic.twitter.com/OYo9kWP4PV
Chris Sale looks poised to anchor Braves rotation in 2026
Being put to the test early against a formidable lineup like Philadelphia's was a great opportunity for Sale to remind fans just how unhittable he can be. The only blemish was a solo home run surrendered to the nine-hole hitter Weston Wilson. Most importantly, the stuff looked as crisp as ever despite the two month layoff.
Phillies hitters whiffed on 15 of 36 swings against Sale. On top of that, he touched 97 mph with his fastball while also breaking off several devastating sliders to make sluggers Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper look foolish. It's hard to look any more impressive than Sale did on Saturday night.
The Braves may be out of contention in 2025, but Sale returning and looking like his old self was an important storyline for the final month of the season. Should Sale continue to look as impressive over the remaining four or five starts he will make this season Braves fans will be dancing in the streets. Sale's return to form is also a key development for the 2026 team. It's safe to say next season's projected rotation has plenty of uncertainty around it. Sale being a steady dominant presence at the front of the rotation is exactly what the Braves front office wants to see.