After spending over two months on the injured list, veteran left-hander Chris Sale is slated to return to the mound next weekend. According to David O’Brien of The Athletic, Sale is expected to be activated and start Saturday’s game against the Phillies. Since he’s currently on the 60-day IL, the Braves will need to open a spot on the 40-man roster to make room for him once his return becomes official.
With a 59-71 record, the Braves are 10 games out of a wild-card spot and virtually out of playoff contention. While Sale’s comeback won’t likely impact the team’s postseason hopes, it remains important for the 36-year-old pitcher personally. Despite his long injury history, Sale had a strong start to the 2024 season, posting a 2.52 ERA, 2.69 FIP, and an impressive 30.8% strikeout rate across 15 starts—his best stretch since his 2024 Cy Young-winning campaign and most starts in a season since 2017.
Sale’s season was interrupted in June by a rib fracture, making him one of several Atlanta starters to land on the IL. Both Reynaldo López and AJ Smith-Shawver suffered season-ending injuries before Sale’s own setback, and since then, Spencer Schwellenbach (fractured elbow) and Grant Holmes (elbow inflammation) have also gone down. Sale is the only one from this group expected back this year. Upon his return, he’ll rejoin a rotation that includes Spencer Strider and top prospect Hurston Waldrep. Behind them, manager Brian Snitker is likely to mix and match from a group that includes Joey Wentz, Bryce Elder, Cal Quantrill (claimed off waivers), and possibly Dane Dunning and Didier Fuentes.
If Sale can make five or six strong, healthy starts to close out the season, it would set him up for a normal offseason and a key role in the Braves’ 2026 rotation. With Marcell Ozuna and Raisel Iglesias heading toward free agency and Atlanta likely to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2017, the team could be due for some organizational changes. However, with many core players locked into long-term deals, major roster overhauls might be challenging. Trading a rental ace like Sale could be one option, but given Atlanta’s unwillingness to move him at the deadline, it appears they’re committed to keeping him for the time being.
