ATLANTA (AP) 鈥� The are leaning on Chris Sale to provide much-needed stability for a rotation that has been decimated by injuries this spring.
Sale, 36, will start Atlanta’s season-opening game against Kansas City on Friday night. It will be Sale’s second-straight opening day start and seventh of his career.
Sale, who won the in his first season in Atlanta, has never been more important for a team’s hopes entering a season. A devastating series of injuries to starting pitchers has forced first-year manager Walt Weiss and the Braves to remake the rotation behind the left-hander.
Weiss said Sale is 鈥渁 true ace.鈥�
鈥淣ot everybody can say that they have that guy,鈥� Weiss said Thursday before a workout at Truist Park. 鈥淭aking all things into consideration, one of the best I鈥檝e been around. The way he competes, the way he works, a teammate, the way he treats people. He鈥檚 about as good as it gets. And seeing him taking the mound for us tomorrow at home to open the season, it鈥檚 perfect.鈥�
The bad news began at the start of spring training when right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach was placed on the 60-day injured list due to inflammation in his right elbow. Schwellenbach on Feb. 18 to remove 鈥渓oose bodies鈥� in the elbow and rotation candidate Hurston Waldrep had a similar procedure later in the month.
On March 9, the Braves announced left-hander Joey Wentz, another rotation candidate, would after he tore the ACL in his right knee while covering first base in an exhibition game.
On Monday, the Braves said right-hander , one of the team’s top starters, will start the season on the injured list because of a strained oblique.
Schwellenbach and Waldrep could return around the middle of the season. The Braves are hopeful Strider, who was placed on the injured list retroactive to Sunday, might return in April.
For now, Reynaldo Lopez, Grant Holmes and Bryce Elder are expected to line up behind Sale. Rookie Didier Fuentes, who made the opening day roster as a middle reliever after an impressive spring, could be needed as a starter. JR Ritchie, who will open the season at Triple-A Gwinnett, is another option.
鈥淲e鈥檝e taken some hits in the rotation,鈥� Weiss said. 鈥淏ut I still think it鈥檚 a really solid starting rotation. And the hope is that these guys step up. And I think they will.鈥�
There is some irony that Sale is almost the last man standing from the Braves’ original projected rotation. He hasn’t been known for good health in his 15-year career with the Chicago White Sox, Boston and Atlanta.
Sale made only 31 starts for the Red Sox from 2021-23. He missed the 2020 season after having . He made only two starts in 2022 after he fractured a rib and then broke his left pinkie. His final season with Boston ended in August 2023 when he broke his right wrist riding a bicycle.
Sale was 7-5 with a 2.58 ERA with Atlanta last season, when he on June 21 with a fractured left rib cage and didn’t make his next start until Aug. 30.
Sale posted a 2.75 ERA this spring and said he is excited to make another opening day start.
鈥淚 feel like it鈥檚 an honor,鈥� Sale said Friday. 鈥淚鈥檝e always taken it very seriously and I just appreciate it. You can say it鈥檚 just another start but opening day, there鈥檚 something really special to it. It鈥檚 like the first day of school. It is very different than all the other ones, so I definitely appreciate it and I鈥檓 thankful for it, I鈥檓 excited for it.鈥�
The start will come three days before Sale’s 37th birthday.
Sale is 25-8 with a 2.46 ERA in 49 starts and one relief appearance with the Braves. He made the All-Star team in 2024 and 2025, raising his career total to nine.
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