Braves Chris Sale Progressing, Snitker Gives Multiple Injury Updates

Brian Snitker gave an array of injury updates ahead of the Atlanta Braves series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers. The top update of note is the progress on All-Star left-hander Chris Sale.

He threw a bullpen session on Monday and will advance toward having a live batting practice session next. There was no mention of when that live BP will be or if he will need a rehab assignment. He is eligible to return from the 60-day injured list on Aug. 19.

Sale last pitched June 18 when he was a strike away from a complete game shutout. He fractured some ribs on a diving play in the ninth inning. At the time of his injury, he was pitching as well as anyone in baseball. He had a 1.23 ERA in his last 10 starts. If not for the injury, there's a chance he's competing for another Cy Young Award.

Grant Holmes has opted to simply rehab his elbow as opposed to having surgery. This decision was made after consulting doctors. He went on the 60-day injured list last week with right-elbow inflammation, effectively ending his season.

He had been one of the more reliable arms in the Braves rotation the entire season. In 22 games, 21 starts this season, he had a 3.99 ERA. He had pitched into the sixth inning for the team over a dozen times this season. A notable part of his season was that he recoded double-digit strikeouts for the first time in his professional career, and then did it a second time.

Meanwhile, right-hander Schwellenbach still isn't throwing. He is on the 60-day injured list with a fractured right elbow. He is eligible to return later in August with the goal of returning sometime in September. Reynaldo López is playing catch. He has been out since his first start of the season on March 28, officially going on the injured list a few days after.

Ronald Acuña Jr. is progressing. Snitker said he's taking batting practice, but he is day-to-day until he is pain-free. Acuña went on the injured list on July 30 with right Achilles tendon inflammation. He tried to play through an ailment because he had already missed so much time.

He was in the starting lineup for the National League in the All-Star Game this year despite his late arrival from recovering from his second torn ACL.

In 55 games, he's batting .306 with a 1.006 OPS with 14 home runs and 16 RBIs.

He didn't give a timeline for Austin Riley, who went on the injured list earlier on Monday. He went down with another abdomen injury. He is currently on the 10-day injured list.

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