Ronald Acuña Jr.’s Atlanta Braves were recently dealt a tough blow with the injury of one of their starting pitchers — a setback that could further complicate their push for a Wild Card spot.
Currently sitting in the 8th spot in the NL Wild Card standings, the Braves already face a steep climb, and the loss of Chris Sale only makes the road tougher. Sale is dealing with a fractured rib and is unlikely to return as quickly as he has from past injuries in his career.
“Chris Sale has a fractured left rib cage and was placed on the 15-day injured list, an obvious big blow to the Braves‘ chances of reeling in teams ahead in NL East and wild-card standings if it keeps him out any significant stretch,” reported David O’Brien on X.
Who could replace Sale?
According to O’Brien, the Braves have recalled left-hander Austin Cox to help fill the gap while Sale is sidelined. It’s worth noting that Cox has never played alongside Acuña Jr. or anyone else currently on the Braves roster, having made his MLB debut in 2023 with the Royals.
Sale’s absence will be deeply felt. The 36-year-old veteran was in his second season with Atlanta and had been having a strong year, posting a 2.52 ERA over 15 starts. He finished last season with a 2.38 ERA.
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Can the Braves survive without Sale?
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Where things stand for the Braves
The Braves currently hold a 35-40 record and sit third in the NL East behind the Phillies and Mets, who are battling for control of the division. The Nationals and Marlins aren’t expected to be major threats, and Atlanta still has time — and games — left to try to claw their way into a Wild Card spot.
