Chris Sale, the Atlanta Braves’ reigning Cy Young Award winner, took an important step toward his return by pitching two innings in his first rehab start for the Triple-A Gwinnett team. During this outing, he allowed one earned run on three hits and issued two walks while striking out two batters. This performance marked Sale’s first live pitching in almost two months, as he works to regain full strength following injury.
Although Sale’s command was inconsistent, requiring 40 pitches with 23 strikes, this is expected given his time away from game action. The focus for this initial outing was to test his body’s readiness rather than achieve perfect control immediately. Sale affirmed that his physical condition is sound despite the command still needing refinement.
Sale Emphasizes Gradual Return and Focus on Fastball Command
In his first rehab start, Sale heavily relied on his fastball, which accounted for 26 of his 40 pitches. This strategy was intentional, allowing him to concentrate on one of his key pitches as he regains precision. The veteran left-hander acknowledged the challenge of fine-tuning his pitching accuracy at this stage.
“I feel like my body and arm was there,” he said after this start. “It’s just the sharpness; really dialing in on the command where those misses, you try to make them a little bit smaller, and obviously try not to miss at all, but when you do miss, how drastic those are.” —Chris Sale, pitcher
Sale described the process as easing back into action carefully, prioritizing doing things correctly over rushing the comeback.
“Just want to ease back into it and do this the right way,” he said.
He recognized that controlling his mistakes and minimizing their severity is an ongoing effort during his recovery.
Patience and Determination Mark Sale’s Road to Full Recovery
Sale is approaching his return with measured patience but remains eager to rejoin the Braves’ rotation as soon as possible. Reflecting on his experience with injuries, the left-hander expressed his mixed emotions about being sidelined while watching his team compete without him.
“I’ve been through this too many times before, but it’s never fun watching your guys on TV,” he said. “I understand the process. I understand the necessity of the process, but it doesn’t make it any easier.” —Chris Sale, pitcher
Despite the inherent frustration, Sale understands the need to rebuild carefully and does not intend to rush back prematurely. He confirmed his readiness to pitch if called upon right now but continues to focus on progressing through rehab steps.
“If you give me a ball, I’ll pitch whenever.”
Context of Injury and Current Rehabilitation Status
Sale has been on the injured list since June 19 due to fractured ribs sustained during a diving play in his last major league start. The injury occurred as he attempted to complete a shutout game, with manager Brian Snitker intervening to end his outing after Sale allowed a two-out single.
Following the injury, Sale refrained from throwing for nearly a month to allow the pain to ease. It was only in the third week post-injury that he began noticing improvement. He then spent two weeks progressing through light throwing and bullpen sessions before participating in live batting practice, where he threw 30 pitches over two simulated innings.
Sale is eligible to be activated from the injured list next week, but the Braves have not set a firm timeline for his return. Coaches anticipate Sale will need to build his pitch count to roughly 75 innings across a couple more rehab appearances before rejoining the major league rotation.
Season Performance Highlights and Return Prospects
Before his injury, Sale demonstrated dominant pitching with a 2.52 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP over 15 starts. His momentum included a 1.23 ERA across his last 10 outings, positioning him as a strong contender in the Cy Young Award race. Although his bid for the award was interrupted, Sale’s return will boost the Braves’ rotation, especially as some other starters appear to be sidelined for the remainder of the season.
His recovery progress and upcoming rehab starts will be critical as the Braves prepare for the final stretch of the campaign, relying on Sale’s talent to help maintain their competitive edge.