Chris Sale Not on Braves' MLB Playoff Roster for Wild Card Series Amid Back Injury

Cy Young Award hopeful Chris Sale was not listed on the Atlanta Braves' roster ahead of Tuesday night's Wild Card Series-opening game against the San Diego Padres.

Bryce Elder and AJ Smith-Shawver, both listed, are two top candidates to get the Game 1 start according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman.

Sale was a late scratch due to back spasms ahead of Monday's Game 2 in a must-win doubleheader against the New York Mets.

Manager Brian Snitker indicated after the Braves' win that the team did not expect Sale to be available for the Padres series, per Bowman.

"We're hoping, with some more rest, we can get him right and get to the next round," Snitker said on Monday.

Sale's last started on Sept. 19, a win during which his pitching velocity notably dropped in his fifth inning on the mound.

Atlanta was hoping to have him start on Monday should the Braves lose Game 1 to the Mets, with a split necessary to get the team a Wild Card spot.

The team only made the call to put reliever Grant Holmes, who threw 21 pitches on Sunday, on the mound 30 minutes before Game 2, Bowman reported.

"There were days that he would show up and everything would be good, and he's like, 'I'm good,'" Snitker said on Monday. "So we were going to wait for an elimination game. But I don't think he felt great last night when he [increased his effort level] while throwing."

Holmes responded to the call with four scoreless innings to help lead the Braves to a 3-0 win over the Mets that secured the team's postseason spot by knocking the Arizona Diamondbacks out of playoff contention.

Who will receive the next start for the Braves could be a similarly late decision as the team had yet to announce a Game 1 starter as of Tuesday afternoon's roster release.

The Padres announced on Monday that Michael King, who ranked fourth in the LA with a 2.95 ERA during the 2024 regular season, will get the start in Game 1.

Elder has struggled following his All-Star 2023 campaign for the Braves, pitching a 6.52 ERA in 49.2 innings and 10 starts this season. Smith-Shawver, meanwhile, was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday in order to join the Wild Card roster after pitching 4.1 scoreless innings in his single appearance for the Braves this season.

Given the uncertainty surrounding their rotation, the Braves may need some big hits from players like Matt Olson and Marcell Ozuna in order to start out this Wild Card series with a win at Petco Park.