How Braves will line up their starting pitchers without Chris Sale

After probably the most exciting week of the Braves 2025 campaign, which was highlighted by a home sweep of the Mets, tragedy struck for what feels like the millionth time over the last year-and-a-half. Chris Sale was placed on the IL after suffering a fractured rib cage, likely to miss at least a month, if not closer to two.

Sale was amid one of the best stretches of his career. He had just tossed 8.2 scoreless innings against the Mets, and he has not given up more than two earned runs in any start since April 13th. He’s been the best pitcher in baseball for two months and is simply irreplaceable.

The mood in the Braves clubhouse had to be deflated heading into the series against the lowly Marlins, and it’s fair to wonder if that carried over onto the field. This didn’t look like the same team that just steamrolled the first-place Mets earlier in the week. Atlanta dropped two of three to Miami, with the offense once again going silent. That’s a trend the Braves can’t seem to buck, which makes losing the ace of their staff that much more painful.

Now, the Braves head to Citi Field for a four-game rematch with a reeling Mets team eager for revenge. One thing New York can be thankful for? They won’t have to face Chris Sale, who was originally scheduled to start Tuesday before landing on the IL. Here’s how Atlanta will line up its starting rotation for the series in Queens:

Atlanta Braves Probables Versus Mets

Game 1: Spencer Schwellenbach vs. Paul Blackburn

Game 2: Spencer Strider vs. Frankie Montas

Game 3: Didier Fuentes vs. Clay Holmes

Game 4: Grant Holmes vs. Griffin Canning

Even without Sale, the Braves have the starting pitching advantage in three out of the four games. The first two are complete mismatches, as Paul Blackburn probably doesn’t belong on a major-league roster and Frankie Montas will be making his first start of the season after getting thrashed consistently during his rehab assignment in AAA.

The Mets certainly have the advantage in Game 3, but perhaps Didier Fuentes can catch a lineup that’s never seen him before off-guard. That would certainly make him an instant favorite in Braves Country if he can get the job done on the road in a hostile environment in just his second MLB start, and just his third start above the AA level.

Grant Holmes versus Griffin Canning is much more even, but given the way each is trending and their overall stuff, the Braves should feel very comfortable with that matchup.

The real question is whether the Atlanta bats will travel with them to Citi Field. Despite Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson’s terrorizing opposing pitchers, the rest of the lineup has been completely dormant this month. That needs to change in a big way to begin the week, or the Braves might have to do some serious self-reflection about whether they will buy or sell ahead of the trade deadline.