The Atlanta Braves cannot seem to get a break these days. Whenever they string together some wins, they immediately go cold and/or a key player gets hurt. The same thing was true last year, but the results on the field have been far more severe in 2025 as Atlanta is in endanger of missing the playoffs altogether. Unfortunately, Tuesday was no different as fans were treated were a pretty brutal update on Chris Sale and his rib injury.
On Tuesday, the Braves announced that they were acquiring Hunter Stratton in a trade with the Pirates in exchange for cash and minor league Titus Dumitru. However, the more important news is that the Braves are putting Sale on the 60-day injured list to make room for Stratton.
The #Braves today acquired RHP Hunter Stratton from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for OF Titus Dumitru and cash considerations, and optioned him to Triple-A Gwinnett. To make room on the 40-man roster, Atlanta transferred LHP Chris Sale to the 60-day injured list.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 1, 2025
Braves trade for Hunter Stratton, put Chris Sale on the 60-day IL
The trade itself is pretty innocuous. Stratton is a veteran righty reliever who has been decent at Triple-A this year and really bad in the majors. Atlanta is really only giving up cash as Dumitru is not much of a prospect.
However, putting Sale on the 60-day IL means that the earliest he can return is towards the end of August. One certainly hoped that he could return a bit sooner given how his injuries were described at first. However, the Braves have said from the jump that they're going to be careful with Sale and apparently that includes keeping him out for the better part of two months at minimum.
If you were wondering how things could get worse for the Braves in 2025, there you have it. They did at least get some bullpen help, but even that good news came with a caveat that meant the defending Cy Young winner will be out for quite a while.