Braves Turn to Chris Sale for Final 4 Outs in NLDS Game 3
Updated
Updated · FanGraphs · Oct 5
Braves Turn to Chris Sale for Final 4 Outs in NLDS Game 3
3 articles · Updated · FanGraphs · Oct 5
Summary
Chris Sale was summoned for the final four outs of Atlanta’s decisive NLDS Game 3 after Philadelphia won Game 2 and forced the Braves into another must-win spot.
That move followed Sale’s 95-pitch Wild Card start against the Phillies last Tuesday, when he worked into the seventh before leaving with two on and one out.
Atlanta had already used bullpen games in the first two NLDS contests, first because of an injury-thinned rotation and then because earlier pitching choices narrowed Walt Weiss’s options.
The decision underscored how the Braves’ postseason pitching plan has prioritized immediate survival over preserving arms for later rounds.