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According to FanGraphs, the Braves have a 26.2% chance of making the playoffs. Obviously, not playing in October for the first time since 2017 will suck, period; however, not seeing Spencer Schwellenbach or Chris Sale in the playoffs will make it even more difficult to stomach.
Last year, the Braves had to come from behind and clinch a Wild Card spot, punching their ticket on Game 162 against the Mets. It took everything the Braves had, and it resulted in A.J. Smith-Shawver starting the first Wild Card game against the Padres.
Max Fried ended up getting the ball in Game 2, but we never saw Schwellenbach or Sale for different reasons: rest for the former and an injury for the latter.
In his rookie campaign, Schwellenbach put together an impressive 3.35 ERA and 3.29 FIP across 21 starts and 123.2 innings. He had a 5.52 SO/W and a 1.043 WHIP in that span, but he finished the 2024 season on a hot note.
In his final 12 starts, he posted a 2.47 ERA, including a 7.0 inning, one-run gem against the Mets in his final appearance. Schwellenbach obviously helped the Braves get into the postseason with that start against New York, but it was a shame that we didn’t get to see him against the Padres.
But it was even more tragic that Chris Sale was not able to make a playoff start. He won the NL Triple Crown after leading the league in wins (18), ERA (2.38) and strikeouts (225) en route to his first Cy Young award, and Braves Country didn’t get to see him when the lights were brightest.
Now, in 2025, we still might not see two of the best pitchers in baseball during the postseason. After beginning the year slowly, Chris Sale has refound his Cy Young form. The veteran had a 6.17 ERA through his first five starts and didn’t make it to the sixth inning until his seventh start.
Since then, Sale has only gone less than six innings once, boasting an ungodly 1.38 ERA across 52.1 innings while striking out 71 batters and only giving up 16 free passes across those eight starts. He’s recorded double-digit strikeouts four times and at least six in every single outing.
Spencer Schwellnebach is also trying to replicate his impressive 2024 season, and he’s even building off of it. The 25-year-old is coming off the first complete game of his career, needing only 105 pitches to get 27 outs in a series-clinching win over the Brewers while allowing just two runs. The outing lowered Schwellenbach’s ERA to 3.11 to go with a 1.004 WHIP.
The 1-2 punch of Spencer Schwellenbach and Chris Sale is as good as any in baseball, and while the Braves have an uphill battle to capture a postseason berth, the club’s aces give them a fighter’s chance in October if they get there.
Not only do Braves fans deserve to see Schwellenbach and Sale in the playoffs, but baseball fans everywhere deserve it. This game is at its best when its best players are playing on its biggest stages.
More must-reads:
- Mets fill need with trade for lefty Gregory Soto
- Trade rejection speaks volumes about Red Sox's Jarren Duran intentions
- The 'Multiple 100-RBI MLB seasons' quiz
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Trade rejection speaks volumes about Red Sox's Jarren Duran intentions
The Boston Red Sox appear to have no interest in trading outfielder Jarren Duran, at least not in the near future. Trade rumors have swirled around Duran for most of the season, especially after designated hitter Rafael Devers was traded to the Giants. However, Sean McAdam from MassLive reported that the Red Sox may wait until the offseason before moving on from the former All-Star. The decision to wait on Duran is not due to a lack of offers. McAdam also reported that the Padres made a significant offer for Duran involving pitcher Dylan Cease, catching prospect Ethan Salas and another unnamed prospect. That offer was quickly rejected. The Padres have long coveted Duran. McAdam had previously reported that the Padres have been "relentless" in their pursuit of the Red Sox outfielder. The reported trade offer including Salas, the Padres second-best prospect and the 21st-best prospect in baseball per MLB.com, illustrates how serious they are about acquiring Duran. Likewise, the Red Sox's refusal to entertain such an offer, even as a starting point for negotiations, speaks volumes about their interest in moving Duran. The Padres' offer would help solve several problems for the Red Sox in both the present and future. Moving Duran would help clear up the logjam in the outfield, while Cease and Salas would respectively improve the back of their rotation and provide a possible cornerstone behind the plate going forward. Duran is a valuable trade chip as he is under team control through 2028. He has also taken a step back in production from his stellar showing in 2024, posting a respectable .254/.321/.428 batting line in 459 plate appearances entering Friday, with nine homers and 25 doubles while stealing 16 bases. That production would be an upgrade for several teams looking to improve their outfield going forward. The question is whether or not the Red Sox will be realistic in their asking price for Duran. Considering how quickly the Padres' offer was reportedly rejected, that may not be the case.
Dustin Rhodes Assigns Blame After Hulk Hogan’s Death
Following the shocking news of Hulk Hogan’s passing, wrestling legend Dustin Rhodes, known to millions as Goldust in WWE, took to social media to share a deeply personal and provocative reaction: “Hospitals truly kill people. I really do mean that.” Rhodes’ blunt statement stunned many fans, but those who know his story saw the pain behind the words. His father, the iconic Dusty Rhodes, passed away in 2015, aged 69, after a fall at home led to hospitalization for kidney failure. After his father's passing, Dustin shared a contemplative response on WWE's YouTube channel to discuss the legacy his father left behind. The news of Hogan's death comes just a month after reports suggested he was on his "deathbed" after undergoing a neck procedure back in May. Hogan's reps denied that was the case. In June, US Weekly reported that Hogan had also undergone a "pretty serious heart surgery and was doing well afterward." Dustin’s connection to his brother Cody Rhodes, now a top WWE superstar and face of the company’s next generation, is unbreakable. The Rhodes family legacy is deeply woven into the fabric of pro wrestling history, and seeing another legend like Hogan pass has clearly hit close to home. While Goldust and Hulk Hogan never had a headline-grabbing rivalry, they did share the ring once. It occurred in WCW in 2000 when Dustin Rhodes matched up against Hogan. Although their paths didn’t often cross in the squared circle, Hogan and the Rhodes family were part of the same larger-than-life era that helped define pro wrestling for decades and catapult the sport into society's zeitgeist. Rhodes’ comment about hospitals might not sit well with everyone, but it speaks to a raw and honest pain felt by someone who has seen too many legends, both personal and professional, fade away in similar fashion. The sport of wrestling has endured more than its fair share of lives cut short. As tributes continue to pour in for Hogan, Rhodes’ reaction serves as a powerful, if somber, reminder of the real human emotions behind the wrestling personas.
Early Themes of the 2025 Miami Dolphins Training Camp
Early Themes of the 2025 Miami Dolphins Training Camp Training camp kicked off this week in Miami Gardens, and the energy is electric. This is the beginning of the journey—and a long season ahead—for these players. It’s the time when optimism runs high, when every player on the field believes they have a shot to make an impact, and every fan believes this might just be the year. But as we all know, this part of the calendar doesn’t come without a price. Unfortunately, Day 1 brought some tough news. Cornerback Artie Burns and offensive lineman Byron Matos both went down with potentially season-ending injuries. It’s a brutal blow—especially to two position groups that already had question marks coming into camp. Burns was expected to compete for valuable snaps in a secondary trying to find its post-Ramsey identity. And Matos, a former basketball player turned promising developmental lineman, had been turning heads with his athleticism and work ethic. These are the gut-punch moments that make camp so bittersweet. You can feel the season coming into focus—but also see just how fragile it can be. Injuries like these don’t just hurt individual careers; they test the depth, chemistry, and resilience of a team. And while it’s heartbreaking for the guys who go down, these moments also open the door for someone else to step up. Because that’s what camp is all about—opportunity. Maybe it’s Cam Smith rising to the challenge in the DB room. Or maybe it’s Erik Ezukanma fighting for a role on the team. Whatever it may be, every rep matters now. Every play is a chance to prove you belong. But what I wanted to focus on most was a theme we’ve already seen emerge early on: accountability. Not only did players make it a point to sprint after practice today for all the mishaps and penalties, but we also heard that same message echoed in their words. Especially when Tua mentioned that Tyreek Hill is still working on regaining the respect and trust of his teammates, that shows this is serious to the team—and that no individual is more important than the whole. While some may see it as excessive or old news, I think it’s a great thing to hold each other accountable, both in the spotlight and on/off the field. If the team is serious about a culture change and putting football over ego, this is what we need: players and captains demanding more from one another. You also look at a player like Zach Sieler, who is a true professional through and through. While he could easily “hold in” and sit out drills to prove a point to the front office about his current contract, he’s instead out there with the team—especially the younger guys—showing them how to go about the game the right way. He’s setting a standard, and you know he’s going to hold his teammates to that same standard. Whether it all pans out in the end is another story—and of course, it’s still way too early to tell. But so far, these guys seem locked in. And more importantly, they’re practicing what they preach.
UDFA makes strong case for Chargers roster spot after training camp pick-six
The Los Angeles Chargers' 2025 training camp is heating up. In less than a week, the team will have its first action against another opponent when they meet the Detroit Lions in the Hall of Fame Game. That means in less than a week, players who may be on the fringe of making the roster will get a chance to show what they've got in the national spotlight. Every season, there are a group of players fighting for a job on every roster, the Chargers being no different. So, who is going to earn themselves a spot on the 2025 roster? Daniel Popper of The Athletic published an incredibly thorough, detailed practice report from the Chargers' seventh day of camp. In his report, Popper described the moment when undrafted free agent Nikko Reed made a statement with his pick-six on backup quarterback DJ. Uiagalelei. "Undrafted rookie cornerback Nikko Reed picked off Uiagalelei in 11-on-11 and returned the interception for a touchdown. Reed has been a mainstay on the second-team defense and appears on track to lock up a practice squad spot," wrote Popper. Chargers' defensive coordinator even told the media that Reed has a chance to make the roster. When the Chargers take the field against the Lions, it could be another moment for Reed to put himself ahead of the pack.
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