In a season already filled with disappointment for the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to the league-worst Colorado Rockies may have been the low point. Falling to a team with just five wins is a tough pill to swallow.
Still, there was one major silver lining: Chris Sale looked like his old Cy Young self. Entering the game with a shaky 5.40 ERA across six starts and without a single outing reaching six innings, Sale flipped the script. He threw seven strong innings, allowed just two runs, struck out 10, and didn’t walk a single batter — easily his best performance of the season.
Though dominant overall, there were a few concerns. Sale’s fastball velocity was down, which could be attributed to the Colorado altitude — or more worryingly, to his age (36) and lingering back issues from last year. That said, he was still able to reach the mid-90s when necessary and leaned heavily on a devastating slider.
The big question now: Can Sale replicate this success against stronger teams? With key arms like Reynaldo López out and Spencer Strider sidelined, the Braves badly need a reliable Sale in the rotation — especially with Bryce Elder’s inconsistency.
Despite the embarrassing loss, Braves fans can take comfort in Sale’s resurgence. If he’s truly rounding back into form, Wednesday’s defeat might be worth it in the long run.
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