Chris Sale has no concerns about taking the mound again after helping the Atlanta Braves close out their National League Wild Card Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Braves advanced with a 6-2 victory Thursday, winning the series 2-1 and setting up an NLDS matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Sale played a major role in the clincher after pitching the final 1 1/3 innings.
The veteran left-hander threw 21 pitches, struck out three and allowed one hit without giving up a run. After the game, Sale made his preference clear about his availability for Game 2 of the NLDS.
“If I had to pitch tomorrow,” Sale said, “I’d pitch tomorrow,” according to Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Sale’s outing came only two days after he started Game 1 against Philadelphia. He threw 6 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts in that game before returning to the mound Thursday, giving Atlanta an unconventional workload heading into the next round.
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Sale finished the regular season with a 14-9 record, a 2.16 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP and 200 strikeouts across 162 2/3 innings. His 27 starts helped anchor an Atlanta rotation that led the Braves to a 94-68 record and the NL East title.
The Braves now face the Dodgers, who finished 100-62 and won the NL West. Los Angeles also went 5-1 against Atlanta during the regular season, including a three-game sweep in August.
Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday at Dodger Stadium, with Game 2 set for Sunday. Atlanta’s pitching plans beyond the opener will be important, particularly after Sale’s unusual relief appearance, but the veteran has already made clear that he feels capable of taking the ball again.
