The Braves still haven’t tipped their hand on Chris Sale, and that leaves the Dodgers waiting on the one matchup they’d most like to dodge in NLDS Game 2.
After Los Angeles beat Atlanta 5-3 on Saturday, manager Walt Weiss wouldn’t commit to Sale taking the ball on Sunday. The left-hander has already been used twice in this postseason, opening the Wild Card Series against the Phillies and then coming out of the bullpen for 1.1 innings in the clincher on Thursday.
Walt Weiss says he isn’t sure who will start for the Braves in NLDS Game 2 vs the Dodgers just yet when asked if Chris Sale will get the ball.
- Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) October 3, 2026
That uncertainty matters because Sale has been Atlanta’s best answer on the mound. He faced the Dodgers twice during the regular season and held them to two runs over 16 innings. In August, he also threw a complete game shutout against Los Angeles, his first since 2019.
Sale’s overall 2026 season backed up the threat. He made 27 starts and posted a 2.16 ERA, his best mark since 2018 and the third-best of his 16-year career. He also punched out 200 batters, the ninth time he’s reached that number in a season.
If Atlanta pushes Sale back for a couple extra days, the Dodgers could walk into Game 2 with a real opening. A win would put them up 2-0 before the series shifts back to Atlanta, where they lost all three games in August during the regular season. Carrying that kind of cushion into Atlanta would make the rest of the series much easier for Los Angeles.
Of course, nothing is automatic either way. The Dodgers aren’t guaranteed a win if Sale sits, and they’re not guaranteed a loss if he starts. But the difference between facing Sale and not facing him is obvious.
Atlanta does have alternatives if it decides to hold him back. Tyler Mahle started Game 2 of the Wild Card Series after joining the Braves at the trade deadline, and he finished the regular season strong. In nine starts with Atlanta, he posted a 1.99 ERA over 54.1 innings, then backed it up in the postseason by allowing one run across seven innings while striking out six.
Grant Holmes is the other option. He has only thrown two innings this postseason, but he made 31 regular-season appearances and turned in a career-best 3.44 ERA over 151.2 innings, also a career high. Holmes pitched against Philadelphia on Thursday and gave up one run in those two innings.
The Braves have not announced their starter yet, but they will have to before first pitch Sunday at 5:00 p.m. PT.
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