Chris Sale Relieves on One Day’s Rest as Braves Eliminate Phillies, Advance to NLDS

ATLANTA — Chris Sale walked out of the Truist Park bullpen with two outs in the eighth inning Thursday night, abandoning his scheduled rest day to close a 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies and send the Atlanta Braves into the National League Division Series.

Sale recorded the final four outs, retiring Bryce Harper, Bryson Stott, Bryan De La Cruz and pinch hitter Otto Kemp to seal Atlanta’s first postseason series win against Philadelphia. The Braves now travel to Los Angeles for an NLDS matchup against the Dodgers beginning Saturday.

The appearance came just two days after Sale threw 95 pitches across 6⅓ innings in a Game 1 victory, setting personal playoff highs for both innings and strikeouts. Relief appearances by established starting pitchers in elimination games remain rare in modern baseball due to the elevated injury risk associated with shortened recovery windows. Managers typically reserve such moves for the World Series or when a rotation is entirely depleted.

Braves manager Walt Weiss said he had no intention of asking Sale to pitch again so quickly. The conversation began only when Sale entered Weiss’ office Thursday afternoon and volunteered that he felt strong enough to throw. Weiss then mapped out a specific deployment window targeting the top of the Phillies’ order late in the game. Sale delivered exactly 21 pitches from the bullpen.

“I have no idea” if Sale can start Sunday’s potential Game 2 against the Dodgers, Weiss said afterward. “We weren’t even worried about that. It was all about tonight.”

Atlanta’s entire six-run output arrived via solo and multi-run home runs from Michael Harris II, Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson. Harris opened the scoring with a three-run shot in the first inning off Phillies starter Aaron Nola. Philadelphia attempted to stabilize its pitching staff by deploying Zack Wheeler in relief alongside Jonathan Bowlan, but neither could prevent the long ball from dictating the game’s outcome. Wheeler, who anchored Philadelphia’s rotation throughout the regular season, taking on a bullpen role underscored the desperation inherent in a decisive Game 3.

Before Sale entered, 32-year-old left-hander Ray Kerr delivered the most critical start of his career under extreme pressure. Making only his fourth major league start, Kerr allowed two baserunners and struck out two batters across 3⅓ scoreless innings. His performance prevented Atlanta from burning through its bullpen early, a scenario Weiss had actively prepared contingencies for before first pitch.

Kerr’s path to an elimination-game assignment defied conventional player development timelines. He grew up in the foster care system and did not establish himself as a major league pitcher until his late twenties. That progress halted in 2024 when he underwent Tommy John surgery, a procedure requiring ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction that typically sidelines pitchers for 12 to 18 months. Returning from the surgery to immediately shoulder a postseason start represents an accelerated rehabilitation timeline rarely seen at the major league level.

“I’ve dreamed about stuff like this,” Kerr said. “For it to actually happen, I still haven’t even processed it yet.”

Harris, who hit the opening home run, was still in the minor leagues during Atlanta’s 2021 championship run but watched that year’s NLCS against the Dodgers from the second deck at Truist Park. Albies played on that 2021 World Series roster. Both now prepare to face Los Angeles again, this time as central figures rather than observers.

The NLDS opens Saturday in Los Angeles. Sale’s availability for the rotation remains undetermined following his 116 total pitches across the wild-card round.