The Atlanta Braves are hopeful that ace Chris Sale has gotten back in the groove when they send the left-hander to the mound to face the visiting Cincinnati Reds in the second game of their three-game series Tuesday.
The Braves won the opener 4-0 on Monday when A.J. Smith-Shawver took a no-hitter into the eighth inning. Atlanta has won two straight and Cincinnati has lost three in a row and five of its last seven.
Sale (1-3, 4.84) will face Cincinnati’s Andrew Abbott (2-0, 2.84) in a matchup of left-handers.
Sale, the 2024 National League Cy Young Award winner, returned to form in his last start on Wednesday against Colorado. Sale pitched a season-long seven innings and allowed two runs on five hits, walked none and fanned a season-high 10 batters. But Sale was tagged with the loss when the offense produced only one run.
“I’d probably say there are three or four cues that I need to do delivery-wise, and I just wasn’t doing those early on,” Sale said. “Over the last couple starts, we’ve looked at video, done some analytic things, and even just looking at the numbers that are presented after outings and things like that, and just making those minor tweaks to try to get back to being successful.”
Sale has only faced Cincinnati twice in his career, going 1-0 with a 3.12 ERA. He beat the Reds in his only start against them last year.
Abbott picked up a no-decision in his last outing on Thursday against St. Louis. He pitched four innings and allowed one run (unearned) on three hits in a game the Reds won 9-1. Abbott did not return to the mound after a lengthy rain delay.
It marked his 50th career start, and his 3.72 career ERA is the lowest by a Reds left-hander since Tom Browning posted a 3.52 ERA in his first 50 from 1984-86.
Abbott deepened his repertoire with the addition of a change-up this season.
“When you have a lefty with a changeup, it just seems to work really well,” Reds manager Terry Francona said.
Abbott has never faced the Braves.
“My main job is to focus and throw strikes,” Abbott said. “Once you throw a couple in the zone, they have to respect it and you can get swings on pitches out of the strike zone.”
The Braves announced Monday that 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. would begin a rehab assignment sometime this month. Acuna, who tore the ACL in his left knee last May, is currently working out at the team’s complex in Florida. Acuna is expected to be available by the end of the month.
Meanwhile, the Reds have lost left fielder Tyler Callihan, who broke his left forearm after slamming into the wall while trying to make a running catch on Monday. The rookie was playing in only his fourth game since being called up.
“I feel bad for the young man,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “He was just laying it out there for his club. I hope it’s something they can set… and he can get on with his career.”
–Field Level Media
