Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale took a step toward returning to the Atlanta Braves by throwing 40 pitches in a rehab start for Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday night.

Sale has been sidelined since fracturing his left ribcage during a game against the New York Mets on June 18.

The left-hander allowed one run and three hits in the two-inning stint against Louisville. He struck out two and walked two while throwing 23 pitches for strikes.

Sale will make at least one more rehab start before being activated. Atlanta manager Brian Snitker told reporters Sale won’t be activated until he throws at least 75 pitches in a rehab start.

Sale was injured while diving for an infield dribbler hit by Juan Soto in the ninth inning of a 5-0 victory over the New York Mets. Sale threw Soto out at first but left two batters later when he was just one out away from his fourth career shutout.

Sale, 36, is 5-4 with a 2.52 ERA in 15 starts this season, his second with the Braves. The nine-time All-Star went 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA in 29 starts last season while being a runaway winner in Cy Young balloting.

Over 15 seasons with the Chicago White Sox (2010-16), Boston Red Sox (2017-2023) and Braves, the 2010 first-round pick (No. 13 overall) is 143-87 in 387 games (307 starts) with a 3.02 ERA along with 2,528 strikeouts and 481 walks in 2,047 2/3 innings.

–Field Level Media