Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-02 · by Charles Odum The Associated Press
Walt Weiss, manager of the Atlanta Braves, spoke about ace pitcher Chris Sale's remarkable performance during the Wild Card Series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday night. Despite pitching only two days after his start in the series opener, Sale came out of the bullpen to record the final four outs, including striking out key Phillies hitters Bryce Harper and Bryan De La Cruz. Weiss praised Sale’s determination and work ethic but avoided discussing whether this effort would impact Sale's availability for a potential Game 2 start against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-02,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss reported to Truist Park on Thursday determined to avoid asking ace starter Chris Sale if he’d be available for relief duty only two days after making a start in the National League Wild Card Series opener.
asserted
he → report → opener
“I didn’t want to put him in that position because I knew that even if he was hanging, he would tell me yes,” Weiss said.
asserted
Weiss → want → me
“So I was not going to bring it up.”
asserted
I → go → it
Weiss didn’t have to worry.
asserted
Weiss → have → ?
Sale was not going to make Weiss ask.
asserted
Weiss → go → ?
“Literally as soon as I stepped in my office this afternoon, he was sitting in the chair across from my desk, and he looked at me and he said ‘I feel amazing.’
asserted
I → step → me
That’s what he said.
asserted
he → ’ → what
I said, ‘Well, let’s talk.’”
asserted
I → say → ?
That talk led to Sale recording the final four outs of the Braves’ clinching 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday night.
asserted
Sale → lead → night
Sale, the starter in Atlanta’s 5-3 win in Tuesday’s series opener, struck out Bryce Harper to end the eighth and closed out the win in the ninth by striking out Bryan De La Cruz and pinch-hitter Otto Kemp.
asserted
Sale → strike → Cruz
“I was hoping he only had to go one, but he had to get to four outs,” Weiss said.
asserted
Weiss → hop → outs
This guy, I’ve run out of superlatives for Chris Sale.
asserted
I → run → Sale
He’s one of the best I’ve ever been around.
asserted
I → ’ → best
When you take everything into consideration, teammate, competitor, performer, work ethic, all those things, he’s as good as I’ve ever been around.”
asserted
I → take → teammate
Weiss said the discussion with Sale in his office did not include any mention of how pitching in relief on Thursday night could affect the left-hander’s availability for a possible start on Sunday in Game 2 of the NL Division Series at the Los Angeles Dodgers.
uncertain
pitching → say → Dodgers
Even without the work in relief to close the Wild Card Series, four days’ rest would be less than Sale often was given in the regular season, when he was 14-9 with a 2.16 ERA.
asserted
he → close → ERA
Sale, 37, often was given extra rest and that helped him stay strong and record 200 strikeouts in 162 2/3 innings.
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him → give → innings
When asked if Sale was an option for Sunday’s game, Weiss said “I don’t know.
asserted
I → ask → game
I have no idea.
asserted
I → have → idea
We haven’t even talked about that.
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We → talk → that
We didn’t look past tonight.”
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We → look → tonight
The Braves had Sale and Tyler Mahle start the first two games against the Phillies.
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Sale → have → Phillies
Mahle allowed only one run in seven innings in Wednesday’s 4-3 loss in 10 innings despite suffering an abdominal pull during his pregame warmup.
asserted
Mahle → allow → warmup
Weiss was concerned Mahle wouldn’t be able to make the start and said Mahle felt better Thursday though still felt some discomfort.
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Mahle → concern → discomfort
Reliever Ray Kerr allowed only one hit in 3 1/3 scoreless innings as the opener on Thursday night and likely will be part of the Braves’ plans against the Dodgers.
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Kerr → allow → Dodgers
Kerr’s strong performance against the Phillies was an important boost for the Braves’ depleted rotation.
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performance → deplete → rotation
“I was feeding off the crowd from the first pitch of the game,” Kerr said.
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Kerr → feed → game
“They motivated me to keep going, throw even harder, throw even more.
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They → motivate → more
Every time I threw a strike, they were yelling, so I have to give it up to the fans.”
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I → throw → fans
Left-hander Martín Pérez would have been part of the postseason rotation before landing on the 15-day injured list on Sept. 24 with lower back inflammation.
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Pérez → land → inflammation
The Braves also have lost starting pitchers Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider, Reynaldo López and Hurston Waldrep this season.
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Braves → lose → Schwellenbach
Weiss said “There’s nobody on the planet that had us” in the postseason when the injuries included such projected frontline starters as Schwellenbach and Strider.
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injuries → say → Schwellenbach
“Nobody had us making the playoffs,” Weiss said.
asserted
Weiss → have → playoffs
“These guys have overcome so much. ...
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guys → overcome → much
It’s guys like Ray Kerr and everybody else that step up and perform when the stakes are highest.
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stakes → ’ → Kerr
It’s such a great group.”
asserted
It → ’ → ?
Right-hander Bryce Elder threw off the mound on the Braves’ workout on Monday before the start of the Wild Card Series and could be close to returning from the injured list after having surgery on his right knee on Sept. 7.
uncertain
Elder → throw → Sept.
Other possible options include AJ Smith-Shawver and JR Ritchie.
asserted
options → include → Shawver
Following games Saturday and Sunday in Los Angeles, the best-of-five division series shifts to Atlanta on Tuesday and Wednesday, if necessary.
asserted
series → follow → Tuesday
A fifth game, if necessary, would be played in Los Angeles.
asserted
game → play → Angeles
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