The Atlanta Braves advanced to the National League Division Series after a 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in the decisive third game of their Wild Card series, propelled by 37-year-old left-hander Chris Sale’s relief appearance just one day after throwing 95 pitches in a Game 1 start.
How Chris Sale Delivered a Two-Day Postseason Workload
On September 30, Chris Sale opened the MLB National League Wild Card series for the Atlanta Braves by tossing 6.1 innings and racking up 95 pitches, striking out nine batters in what reports detail as his finest career postseason outing. That opening performance featured a 100-mph fastball against Bryce Harper in the first frame, establishing a dominant tone for the veteran left-hander. Major league starting pitchers typically operate on a strict four-day rest schedule following high-intensity workloads, and Atlanta had spent the regular season managing Sale’s innings carefully due to his age and past injuries. Yet after the Braves dropped Game 2 to force a winner-take-all contest, Sale approached manager Walt Weiss in the office to declare that he felt exceptional, initiating discussions about stepping out of the bullpen if the elimination game demanded it.
Bullpen Heroics and Decisive Offensive Support in Game 3
During the Game 3 showdown, the Braves turned to Ray Cole—who entered the afternoon with only three career major league starts—before deploying Grant Holmes and other relievers to bridge the middle innings. Meanwhile, Atlanta’s offense supplied early run support as Michael Harris II, Albies, and Olson all launched home runs to construct a comfortable lead. When the Phillies trimmed the deficit to 2-6 in the eighth frame, Sale emerged from the bullpen to neutralize the threat. Abandoning the 100-mph velocity he sought in Game 1, he attacked Bryce Harper with breaking sliders to induce a swinging strikeout and strand runners. Sale returned for the ninth frame to record the final four outs, requiring 21 pitches to seal the 6-2 victory and secure the Braves’ ticket to the next round.
Parallels to 2018 and the Upcoming NLDS Challenge Against the Dodgers
This demanding stretch mirrors Sale’s performance in the 2018 World Series, where he served as both the Game 1 starter and the final-out closer for the Boston Red Sox. By bookending this Wild Card triumph with the first start and the final outs, the 37-year-old veteran mirrored that career milestone on short rest. Next up, the Braves travel to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series. Eight years after Sale secured the final out of a season at Dodger Stadium, he returns to Los Angeles carrying a different ballclub into a high-stakes postseason clash.
What Remains Unresolved Ahead of the Division Series
While the Atlanta Braves celebrate their advancement to the National League Division Series, the exact pitching rotation for the upcoming matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers has not yet been officially announced by the team. Given that Chris Sale threw 95 pitches in Game 1 and returned to toss 21 pitches on a single day of rest in Game 3, team management has not specified how many days of recovery the veteran left-hander will receive before his next scheduled appearance. Sale stated that he is ready to pitch whenever the club calls upon him, leaving his exact deployment timing entirely dependent on managerial strategy as the series opens.
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