Chris Sale story of evening, as Braves buried by Mets
The Braves played one of their biggest division rivals on Saturday night at Truist Park, but the most significant part of the evening occurred almost 400 miles west in Memphis, Tennessee.
Donning a Gwinnett Stripers uniform, Chris Sale made what will likely be his final rehabilitation start before the club activates him from the 60-day injured list. The reigning CY Young Award winner surrendered one run in 4 ⅔ innings of the Stripers’ win over the Memphis Redbirds. But more importantly, he threw 77 pitches, surpassing the target of 75 set by the team.
Braves manager Brian Snitker said he hopes to see Sale take the mound next week at Citizens-Bank Park during the Braves’ four-game series with the division-leading Phillies.
“That’s the hope,” Snitker said. “It’s all going to be predicated on how he feels when he gets in tomorrow. And he’s been throwing a lot and feels good, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Sale’s inevitable return to the starting rotation is irrelevant for the Braves’ 2025 campaign. The club fell to the Mets 9-2 on Saturday night in another forgettable loss that dropped it 11 games out of the National League’s final Wild Card spot with just 31 contests left to play.
But returning to a major-league mound is important for Sale, a 36-year-old veteran with almost 16 years of MLB experience. He wants to enter the offseason with momentum, and trotting out to a big-league mound is the first step to building it.
“I don’t care what the record says. I like to compete, and I want to go out there and do my job,” Sale said in early August. “I’ve missed enough baseball in my career that this isn’t something that I’m OK with having being done. I think it’s important to finish a year not on the IL and be able to at least hang my hat on the fact that I was able to finish the year pitching and upright, going into the offseason, knowing that there’s no real questions or concerns or anything that I’m going to have to (address).”
Plus, the Braves will gladly welcome a consistent starter back into their rotation. The combination of journeymen Joey Wentz, Erick Fedde and Carlos Carrasco has provided mixed results, while mainstays Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder have a combined ERA over 7.00 in each of their last seven starts.
And while newly acquired starter Cal Quantrill showed improvement against the Mets — surrendering three runs in 4 ⅔ innings after entering the game with a 7.07 ERA against them — the 30-year-old was pulled as a precaution with cramping in both of his calves.
Quantrill, who became the 17th different starting pitcher to take the mound for the Braves this season (a franchise record), said he does not foresee the impediment becoming a long-term issue. But he does have a history of cramping, and although Quantrill felt prepared entering the game, his calves started bothering him.
Snitker said the team did not want to risk the cramping turning into something more long-lasting.
“We didn’t want to take a chance at pulling a calf because those things take forever,” Snitker said. “But I don’t foresee him having any problem making the next start.”
Reliever Tyler Kinley picked Quantrill up by striking out third baseman Brett Baty to end the inning — and at the time, keep the Braves’ deficit to 3-2 — but the Mets buried the Braves with a four-run seventh inning.
They hit three home runs off setup man Dylan Lee, contributing to their 11-hit night that included six long balls. Adding to their fun, the Mets also drilled two separate pairs of consecutive home runs.
The Braves, on the other hand, mustered just two runs on five hits. The performance marked a stark contrast for a club that averaged over six runs per game in its last 15 outings.
The seven-run defeat ended the Braves’ streak of four-straight series wins, but the club will try to salvage it on Sunday at 1:35 p.m. Bryce Elder (5-9, 6.29 ERA) will receive the start opposite of left-hander David Peterson (8-5, 3.18 ERA).
Ozzie Albies reaches career mark
The Braves’ loss to the Mets was a mostly forgettable night, but one player had something to celebrate. Ozzie Albies played in his 1,000th game, all with the Braves.
Snitker, who briefly managed Albies in 2016 with the Stripers, has enjoyed watching his second baseman grow up.
“It’s really neat,” Snitker said. “It’s one of the benefits of this job. Some of these guys, I’ve seen every pitch, every at-bat they’ve had in the minor leagues, and you watch them become fathers and husbands. And they do. They grow up, and they’re special people you know in your life. It’s guys that you’ll remember and have a friendship with for the rest of your life.”
About the Author
Olivia Sayer joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in May 2025 as an intern on the sports beat. She is earning a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia with a minor in sport management and a sports media certificate. Olivia previously held the titles of digital and assistant sports editor at The Red & Black.
