\u201cWe\u2019re expecting to see him,\u201d Dodgers infielder Tommy Edman<\/a> said.<\/p>\n The Dodgers have four aces. The Braves have one.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got the ace of all aces in Chris Sale,\u201d Braves pitcher Brent Suter<\/a> said.<\/p>\n So why were the Braves publicly noncommittal about using him?<\/p>\n The Braves deployed him Thursday, for the final four outs of the deciding game of the wild-card round. He started and pitched into the seventh inning on Tuesday.<\/p>\n The four days between starts is traditional \u2014 as is throwing once between starts, albeit generally in a pregame workout \u2014 but the 37-year-old Sale has not done that since April.<\/p>\n \u201cThe deciding factor is always going to be how Chris is feeling,\u201d Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said. \u201cWhen we came in the other night, the first words out of his mouth were \u2018I feel amazing.\u2019 If he were to come in [Sunday] morning and say \u2018I feel amazing,\u2019 there\u2019s a chance he pitches.\u201d<\/p>\n Sale, a 10-time All-Star, posted a 2.16 earned-run average this season, trailing only projected Cy Young winners Jacob Misiorowski and Cam Schlittler. In two appearances against the Dodgers, he posted a 1.13 ERA, with no walks and 18 strikeouts in 16 innings.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s the ace over there, and we\u2019re ready to see him two times this series, regardless of whether he is starting or coming out of the bullpen,\u201d Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas said. \u201cWe all know he is going to be out there at some point.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it\u2019s [Sunday], we will be ready. If it\u2019s Game 3, we will be ready. If it\u2019s [Sunday] out of the \u2018pen, we will be ready.\u201d<\/p>\n Weiss should be concerned. If he is, he would not publicly admit to it.<\/p>\n \u201cTo me, it\u2019s not that big a deal when he pitches,\u201d Weiss said. \u201cHe\u2019s going to pitch in this series.<\/p>\n \u201cDodgers can\u2019t win it in two.\u201d<\/p>\n The Braves risk overthinking this. If Sale starts Sunday, he also could start on traditional rest in a potential Game 5. If the Braves hold him back until Game 3, he presumably would not start a potential Game 5 on two days\u2019 rest.<\/p>\n So, if the Braves get that far, would they want to limit Sale to, say, four outs?<\/p>\n \u201cEven if he throws Game 3, I think he\u2019s still available for Game 5 in some way, shape, or form,\u201d Weiss said.<\/p>\n The Dodgers could push Yoshinobu Yamamoto<\/a> to Game 3 because they had Tarik Skubal<\/a> and Blake Snell<\/a> to start the first two games. Money buys you the best of options.<\/p>\n The Braves\u2019 most likely options for Game 2, if Sale does not start: a second consecutive bullpen game, or Grant Holmes, 30, a Dodgers first-round draft pick in 2014, and three years later, part of a three-prospect package sent to the Oakland Athletics for Rich Hill and Josh Reddick.<\/p>\n The way Weiss looks at it, he can win three out of the next four games with his top two starters (Sale and Tyler Mahle) yet to be used, and all his high-leverage relievers fresh.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1791082278_81_hqdefault.jpg\")
<\/p>\n