The Atlanta Braves have a golden chance to win a series at home for the first time since 2018. This moment depends entirely on Chris Sale taking the mound for the series finale. Per Battery Power, Sale is slated to start against the San Diego Padres on Thursday. The team needs a decisive victory to end the current homestand on a high note. Sale brings elite form to Truist Park while the opponent struggles with a shaky rotation.
Sale Is Back in Top Form
Chris Sale has posted a 2.06 ERA with 10 wins and 6 losses this season. He recently threw seven shutout innings against the Texas Rangers in a dominant performance. According to Battery Power, he recorded his 2,700th career strikeout during that outing. He only surrendered two hits and struck out six batters over the course of the game. This shows he can pitch deep into games, something rare for Braves starters this year. Sale threw 89 pitches and kept the opposition scoreless for six full innings. He has been a mixed bag in July, but the Texas game proved he is ready. The rain-shortened outing in St. Louis and the loss to the Mets are in the past. Now he faces a team that has not seen him in San Diego yet.
Padres Struggle Against Sale
The San Diego lineup has seen Sale before, but results vary wildly for each player. Manny Machado leads the team with 11 hits in 35 at-bats against him. Per Battery Power, Machado holds a .355 average and a .993 OPS in those matchups. Xander Bogaerts is next with 7 hits in 22 at-bats and a homer. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Gavin Sheets also have a home run off Sale. However, Jake Cronenworth offers hope as he is 0-for-10 with six strikeouts. The Padres cannot count on their stars to solve Sale this time around. They need a pitcher who can last longer than the last few starts. Their scheduled starter, Griffin Canning, has a career ERA of 12.91 against the Braves.
Opponent Pitching Is Weak
Griffin Canning enters this game with a 1-8 record and a 6.67 ERA this season. He struggled badly when facing the Braves on June 23 in San Diego. According to Battery Power, Canning only recorded two outs in the second inning of that loss. He gave up three earned runs before leaving the game early. A fourth run scored after a walk allowed an inherited runner to cross the plate. Since that game, Canning has not fared much better in recent starts. The longest he has lasted in his last four starts is 4.2 innings. His best outing recently was holding the Dodgers to one run in four innings. The Braves offense has reemerged in July to match this pitching advantage.
This matchup looks like a decisive win for the Braves if they play to their potential. Sale’s dominance meets a weak opponent starter in a favorable spot. The team must capitalize on this chance to split the series and take the win. Do you think the Braves offense can put up enough runs to secure the series? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
