Chris Sale is having one of the best years of his career, plain and simple. We’re talking a phenomenal 2.18 ERA and a league-leading 6.13 strikeout to walk ratio. That’s elite. He’s facing off against the Cincinnati Reds in what’s probably his final regular-season start, but while Sale is dealing and the Braves have already clinched the division, their offense is looking for a spark, and it’s getting kinda desperate heading into October.
One Arm On Fire, The Other… Not So Much
Seriously, Sale’s numbers scream Cy Young contender. His 30.3 percent strikeout rate tells you everything you need to know about how dominant he’s been on the mound. He’s positioned to receive significant second and third place Cy Young votes, and who’s surprised? It’s a stark contrast to the guy on the other side, Andrew Abbott. This season has been Abbott’s toughest in his four-year career. His 4.70 ERA is about eleven percent below average, and his 1.472 WHIP? That’s the worst number he’s ever posted. He’s clearly had trouble with control, giving up 4.2 walks per nine innings. The Braves *should* be patient against him tonight and absolutely feast on those walks. On paper, this is a clear mismatch for the home team, one they should exploit.
Offense Stuck in Neutral
The Braves might be clinched, but they’re in full-on “rest and get ready for October” mode, per Battery Power. Ronald Acuña even took a foul ball to the shin, which was alarming, but tests came back negative, and he’s already back in the lineup. There’s not much to gain or lose in today’s game standings wise, especially with the Dodgers basically locking up the second seed and the Braves having a low chance of getting a playoff bye anyway. These concluding games are basically just forced calendar appearances. But man, a loss would kill the mood heading into the playoffs. The offense looked bad again yesterday, and that’s the real problem. Their 7.7 percent walk rate is the third worst in MLB! That’s just brutal for getting runners on base to knock in runs. Yeah, they strike out less than average, but without guys getting on base, how are you gonna score? Austin Riley is hitless in five tries against Abbott, and Michael Harris has a paltry .400 OPS in his five at-bats. Ozzie Albies has a .600 average, but it’s such a tiny sample, making predictions tough. The Braves need to catch a spark before the playoffs take off, and tonight’s the night.
First pitch is set for 7:15 EDT at Truist Park. Chris Sale needs to keep the runs limited for the Braves to grab an easy victory and, maybe, just maybe, get that offense feeling good again. Even though the team is looking forward, keep an eye on some bullpen action: Robert Suarez is returning to showcase if he belongs on the playoff roster, and Dylan Lee has been struggling with his arm angle. These small spots might literally decide who plays in October, even if the overall game doesn’t mean much in the standings. The Braves offense needs to light up, or October could feel a lot colder than it should.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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