The Braves reveal a risky pitching strategy designed to save their 2024 season

The Atlanta Braves had a great plan going into their series with the Mets and everything went like clockwork. The Braves dominated the Mets in the first game of the series and Chris Sale and Max Fried were ready to pitch the next two games. The chances were high that Atlanta would at least get a series win from this phase and the hopes for a wild card would definitely be alive and well.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature threw the Braves a curveball that required a number of adjustments and considerations.

With Hurricane Helene hitting the Atlanta area this week, the final two games of the series have been postponed until Monday, where the Braves and Mets will play a doubleheader, if necessary, on the eve of the NL Wild Card round. To say that having to play a doubleheader in the season right before the playoffs start isn’t ideal is putting it mildly.

Given all the deciding factors (how the Mets are playing, how the Diamondbacks are playing, how the Braves’ series against the Royals is going), it’s never been possible to figure out exactly how to line up the Braves’ best starters to give the team the best chance to give Be easy. However, it appears the Braves have found a novel solution.

Chris Sale is expected to start “whenever” the Braves are forced out in the coming days

Before this was announced, Braves fans were understandably worried about Sale as the Braves’ projected starters for the next three days were announced as “Fried, TBA, TBA,” especially given Sales’ speed in his last start had slowed. Fortunately, these fears appear to be unfounded.

It’s kind of intriguing, and both the Royals and Mets can’t be comfortable with the specter of a sale looming at every turn. Generally, we’re taught that starters love their routine, and that’s exactly why Fried will start on Friday. However, it sounds like the Braves feel comfortable exploiting Sale as needed, and the uncertainty remains as to when he and the soon-to-return Reynaldo Lopez could play to the Braves’ advantage.

Of course, there is a possibility that this could backfire spectacularly. If the Braves get too sweet and end up losing a very winnable game because they didn’t start the sale and instead went for Charlie Morton or the Grant Holmes experience, there’s even more at stake in this doubleheader on Monday. One can only hope that the Braves still have a great game plan against the Royals and can relieve some pressure.

When sales might begin is much harder to predict. Saturday is possible if the Braves lose on Friday and both the Mets and Diamondbacks win, but Sunday or Monday seem more like places to see Sale on the mound. That’s quite a move the Braves are planning to make to end the season, but it might be just crazy enough to work.

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