Chris Sale is back on a mound. The Atlanta Braves can exhale just a little bit. Making his first rehab start for Triple-A Gwinnett, the reigning Cy Young winner went two innings, allowing one earned run on three hits and two walks while striking out two. The command wasn’t crisp — 40 pitches, 23 for strikes — but after nearly two months away, that’s to be expected. The important part? His arm and body felt strong.
“I feel like my body and arm was there,” Sale said afterward. “It’s just the sharpness… dialing in on the command… when you do miss, how drastic those are.”
Fastball First, Everything Else Later
This was a “get the feel back” outing, with 26 of his 40 pitches being fastballs. Sale’s priority right now is reestablishing command of that bread-and-butter pitch before layering in the rest of his arsenal. “Just want to ease back into it and do this the right way,” he explained.
Even so, the competitive itch hasn’t gone anywhere. “I’ve been through this too many times before, but it’s never fun watching your guys on TV… If you give me a ball, I’ll pitch whenever.”
From Fractured Ribs to the Brink of Braves Return
Sale’s been sidelined since June 19, when he fractured ribs making a diving play to try to finish a complete game shutout. What followed was a month without throwing, then a gradual ramp-up: playing catch, bullpen sessions, live BP, and now game action.
He’s eligible to come off the IL next week, but the Braves want him around 75 pitches before activation. That likely means at least two more rehab starts, given he’s at 40 right now.
Before the injury, Sale was rolling — a 2.52 ERA over 15 starts, and a ridiculous 1.23 ERA in his last 10. He was pitching his way back into the Cy Young conversation when the ribs derailed him.
Now, with other rotation arms done for the year, the Braves need him more than ever. And from the sound of it, Chris Sale is ready to push through the process and give them exactly that.
