Chris Sale to make rehab start next week
Credit: Daniel Varnado/For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The reigning Cy Young winner is approaching his return.
Chris Sale is set to start Tuesday for Triple-A Gwinnett against Louisville, manager Brian Snitker said Friday. Sale has been on the injured list since June 19 because of a fractured ribcage he suffered while trying to field a chopper late in a game against the Mets.
It was a massive blow to the Braves, who’ve since fallen out of realistic postseason contention.
Sale, 36, has a 2.52 ERA in 15 starts, with 114 strikeouts and 26 walks. He’s looked like the reigning Cy Young winner before his injury, posting a 1.41 ERA in his past 11 outings.
While some might believe Sale should be shut down given the Braves’ place in the standings, he strongly disagrees with that premise. He explained why after throwing a live batting practice Thursday.
“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.
“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.”
About the Author
Gabriel Burns is a general assignment reporter and features writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After four years on the Braves beat, he's expanded his horizons and covers all sports. You'll find him writing about MLB, NFL, NBA, college football and other Atlanta-centric happenings.
