Walt Weiss Must Stop Saving Chris Sale For The Eighth

Walt Weiss made a massive error by holding back his best arms in the NLDS. The manager saved premium options for a game where the team already trailed. This approach ignores the reality that October baseball demands immediate action. Saving your ace for late innings when you are behind makes no sense.

According to Battery Power , the sole justification for today's action is that Chris Sale cannot pitch Game 2. If Sale is healthy, using him later is "absolutely infuriating and completely unnecessary." Weiss told reporters that "today was going to be tough for us to chase from behind because of how we emptied the tank on Thursday night." That explanation falls flat when you see Brent Suter pitching the seventh and eighth innings.

Braves fans have seen this pattern before. The idea of "punting" a game works in May or June to save strength for the long season. But this is October. The stakes are too high to use your 12th or 13th best pitcher in a tight game. Battery Power points out that the team should have used Dylan Dodd or AJ Smith-Shawver for short stints. Instead, they relied on veterans who might not have the energy left. This is a cost of doing business that the team cannot afford right now.

The writer loves Victor Mederos and thinks he has been a revelation. Yet the team scrimp and save for seven months just to get to the postseason. Once there, they should spend their options lavishly. The best players must perform when the lights are brightest. Holding back Chris Sale to possibly have him enter the eighth inning tomorrow is a waste of talent.

Walt Weiss claims he is not worried about having enough pitching. He stated, "Look, you've got Sale and Mahle still. Tomorrow a much more rested bullpen. Yeah, I don't have any worries about … having enough pitching. We've got plenty of pitching." This confidence ignores the current situation. If Sale is available for Game 2, he should start. The manager cannot let the game slip away because he is saving his top arm.

AJ Smith-Shawver should not lose heart. Right now, he must be prepared to strike out three batters. He could break into the starting rotation in 2027. But tonight is not the night to test the limits of the bullpen. The team needs its best options to win now. Battery Power argues that if the game is close, the manager must upshift. Downshifting when you are down is a recipe for failure.

The Braves have decided not to use Chris Sale in Game 2; Ray Kerr will start Sunday, with Sales lined up for Game 3 on Tuesdday. Weiss cannot claim the day was tough to chase from behind while still holding back his ace. The fans want to see the best team on the field. Saving your strength for a game you might not win is a bad strategy. The season is over if they do not adjust.