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Kiley McDaniel, ESPN MLB Insider
Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale was a late scratch for Game 2 of Monday’s doubleheader vs. the New York Mets due to back spasms with the Braves needing a win to advance to the playoffs.
Right-handed reliever Grant Holmes, who is 2-1 with a 3.78 ERA this season, got the start in Sale’s place. Sale, the favorite to win the National League Cy Young award, was 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA this season.
Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos described Sale’s back spasms as a “day-to-day thing” when speaking to media after Game 1 of the doubleheader Monday. That doesn’t preclude Sale from starting in a wild-card series game, which could begin Tuesday vs. the San Diego Padres if the Braves win Game 2 of the doubleheader.
The decision to not start Sale was made this afternoon, so as to not risk further injury. Sale’s fastball velocity dipped in his last regular start, against Cincinnati on Sept. 19. He averaged 92.7 mph in that start, after averaging 95.9 in the start before that, Sept. 14.
The Braves needed to win one of the two games Monday to clinch a wild-card berth. They started Spencer Schwellenbach in Game 1, who pitched a gem until the eighth inning, when the Braves blew a three-run lead and then a one-run lead in the ninth to lose the game to the Mets.
A Braves win in Game 2 on Monday would have them facing the Padres on Tuesday while a loss would clinch the No. 6 seed for the Arizona Diamondbacks and the No. 5 seed for the Mets, who would face the Padres.