Chris Sale's Return Reminded Us of His Significance to Braves

Every step Chris Sale took in his rehab over the last two and a half months proved to be worth it. When the Atlanta Braves' lefty returned to the mound in Philadelphia Saturday night, he looked to have not missed a beat. 

He tossed six innings of one-run ball, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out nine. It’s the fifth time this season he’s punched out at least nine, and it comes as he’s activated from the 60-day injured list. 

He said during his rehab assignment that he was eager to get back to the Major Leagues and make an impact. 

“If you give me a ball, I’ll pitch whenever.” 

That eagerness to contribute was on full display. While the Braves ended up losing 3-2 in extra innings to the Phillies, a obvious yet valuable lesson was learned. You can't replace a future Hall of Famer.

It’s a breath of fresh air. After all that time looking for arms who could do a half-decent job, they got a face back who went out and showed everyone how it’s done. It’s nothing new to the 15-year veteran, but you truly appreciate it once you go without him for a time.  

It makes you wonder how things could have been different if he had stayed healthy. Perhaps the Braves win a few more games, and they’re around .500 and within a reasonable distance of a playoff spot. 

This hypothetical won’t go to the extremes to say they would have been buyers at the deadline, but a few more wins could have significantly altered how we could be viewing their season right now. 

Some games would certainly have gone differently if they hadn’t had to turn to Erick Fedde, Cal Quantrill or Didier Fuentes. 

In 16 starts this season, he has a 2.45 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP and 123 strikeouts in 95 1/3 innings pitched. He picked up where he left off from the ridiculous run he was on before his injury. In his last 11 starts, he has a 1.25 ERA.

Now, he’ll have the chance to build up more as the season goes on. His pitch count is at 78. Next time, he could push for 85 or 90 and try to get to seven innings. Every pitch he stretches out further and every inning he gets under his belt before the offseason only helps for next season. 

Last season, he clocked 177 2/3 innings in 29 starts. He could still push for 125 innings this season if he gets another four or five starts. That makes matching what he’s reached in the past less of a steeper task than if he had been done after 89 1/3 innings this year. 

The more he’s out there, the better positioned the Braves are to win. The run support isn’t always there, as evident in his return and in previous starts. But this team is going to be in a better spot than if someone else takes the mound more often than not. 

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