In what has already been a tough season for the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to the now 5-25 Colorado Rockies may have been the most disappointing yet. Dropping a game to MLB’s worst team is a tough pill to swallow, but there was at least one bright spot: Chris Sale looked like his dominant self again.
Coming into the game with a 5.40 ERA across six starts and having not completed six innings in any of them, Sale finally turned in a vintage performance. He allowed just two runs over seven innings, struck out 10, and didn’t walk a single batter. The underlying numbers backed it up too: a 2.08 FIP, 1.44 xFIP, 46% whiff rate, and an average exit velocity of just 86.5 mph. It was by far his strongest outing of 2025.
Chris Sale pitches well for Braves even in embarrassing loss
Despite the Cy Young-caliber stat line Chris Sale posted on Wednesday, his performance wasn’t without a few red flags. His slider was nearly untouchable, but his fastball velocity was notably down—a potential concern given his age (36) and the back issues that sidelined him late last season. While Coors Field’s altitude can affect pitch movement and velocity, and Sale did manage to reach the mid-90s when needed, questions remain about whether he can sustain this level of performance against tougher opponents.
Regardless, the Braves need Sale to step up now more than ever. With Reynaldo López out long-term, Spencer Strider still recovering from a hamstring injury, and Bryce Elder struggling with consistency, Atlanta’s rotation is in a fragile state. If Sale can resemble his 2024 form, the Braves’ postseason hopes remain alive.
For now, even in an embarrassing loss to the Rockies, fans can take some comfort in Sale’s resurgence—cautiously optimistic that his outing was more than just a one-off against MLB’s worst team.
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